Puckering with Graph Crochet?

[SammieLily2]

So that crochet sweater I was working on... I've adjusted the pattern so I'm doing SC only [as the original pattern does a 3 SC rows - 1 DC row repeating pattern] so I can use it for graph crochet!

 

However, I've finished the bottom section of graphing [it's all letters] and I'm noticing now that it's puckering slightly. I'm not too fond of having to go back and redo all the lettering. The puckering isn't terrible but at the moment it's noticeable. I'm at row 12 of 78. Will it straighten out when I get to the last rows?

 

I'm not too worried about it as it's supposed to be a larger sweater, but I am kind of curious. I haven't noticed this puckering with anything else I've done, so I suspect it's something with me trying to get the graphing to look its best but I thought I'd ask. [i have a problem with tugging on the yarn after each stitch, haha. Once I get into a rhythm of crocheting I don't do it as much but while trying to get into that rhythm it's kind of bad.]

[magiccrochetfan]

It probably won't straighten out by itself. It might help to wash it according to the yarn label directions...aka blocking.

 

You really need to stop tugging. If you have to get into rhythm maybe you could do a swatch of a few rows or whatever the needed amount is, then pick up the sweater to work on it.

 

As you change yarns for different colors of the pattern, are you keeping the different strands nice and loose? That could be the most important factor.

[Granny Square]

Another thing that might cause puckering is if your yarns aren't exactly the same weight, they can look lumpy together.  Even if they both are classed in the same weight category, that category is a range so they're not all exactly the same. 

 

I'd rip it and start over...I've ripped miles of yarn in my time to fix 'issues' and wouldn't hesitate if I was only 12 rows into something and it wasn't working the way I wanted it to. (sorry!)  

[SammieLily2]

I was doing more work with it and noticed that my tugging isn't as bad as I remember it being -- I remember it being a lot worse than it actually is.

 

I do try to, with the different strands, but something I've noticed with Red Heart is that the black/white yarns tend to be just a smidgen thicker than the colored yarns... maybe I'm crazy, I don't know.

 

But yeah, I think it's that I made some of the graphing tighter than it should. At least I know I won't do that for the rest of it now -- I think the bottom would have been pulled together anyhow in the end, since I'll be adding a bottom hem to it.

 

EDIT: I considered ripping it, but honestly it doesn't bother me that much. Part of this sweater is learning how to do it anyway, and it's not for anyone else unless they "stole" it from me ^^;

[Granny Square]

No, you're not crazy, I've noticed different colors of RH varying a bit, too (weightwise).  If that's what the problem is, ripping won't help anyway!

 

Glad your tension is mellowing out!

[redrosesdz]

Caron pounders are the same way ... the thickness varies by color.  I made an afghan out of a dark purple and lilac.  It drove me crazy that the lilac was so much thicker than the dark purple.  I swore I'd never use Caron Pounders again.