DC turning stitch question

[Jringer]

Hello! I'm working on a receiving blanket, and normally for my turning stitch, I chain 3, then go into the second stitch. But I hate the gap that it makes on the ends. On this blanket I tried chaining 2 on the turning stitch and going into the first stitch. It looks good, but I don't want to get so far in, and it start to curve. Do you think this is ok, or is it going to give me grief? Thanks in Advance!

[magiccrochetfan]

Hi, welcome to the Ville! I don't think it should make the whole edge curve. You might have a slight bump on row ends where the chain protrudes just a bit.

 

You could make a swatch that's about ten stitches wide but say twenty rows tall, and see how the edge looks to you.

 

There's a method that eliminates chaining completely, I will come back and link to it for you.

[magiccrochetfan]

here is the chainless dc start http://www.ravelry.com/projects/TXCr1cket/chainless-starting-dc-stitch---updated

or http://www.ravelry.com/projects/TXCr1cket/chainless-starting-dc-stitch---evolved

she also has methods for other stitches.  http://www.ravelry.com/projects/TXCr1cket/chainless-starting-tr-stitch

 

also handy is the standing sc for starting with new yarn http://www.lionbrand.com/blog/standing-double-crochet/#sthash.gF2q5Zdq.dpbs

 

i find that often these methods work really well and blend in the best with other stitches.  but depending on the exact yarn and stitch pattern and gauge (maybe also my mood haha) sometimes doing some version of a turning chain is the best.  in any case it's great to have different "tools" in our "crochet toolbox"  ;-)  

 

p.s. if you do make a swatch, its a good idea to wash it to be sure how it behaves after that.  even after washing,  you can always unravel it and reuse the yarn if you need to.  but can keep it for future reference as well.    

[Granny Square]

^what she said.  Another thing to try, and what I do for DC (the chainless one looks great but it is a bit fiddly, and I'm lazy), is turn, SC in the first stitch, chain 1 a bit loosely.  Don't chain before the SC, it adds bulk and doesn't look as nice.   If you make loose and tall DCs, you might need to SC, chain 2 for more height.  This uses the normally skipped first stitch, so doesn't leave a gap.  When you come to that stitch at the end of the next row, stitch into the chain (as you would with a chain-3).  This doesn't look quite as much as a DC as the chainless one, but it looks a lot better than the usual chain 3, skip first stitch does.

[Jringer]

Thank you so much ladies! I will give them both a try and see which is easier.

[redrosesdz]

Those methods are great!  I'm going to give you yet another method to try.  I use it most when making just dc stitches.  It's called the linked dc stitch.  After making the turning chain (3), I link the back loop of the middle chain to the first dc.

 

Here's how ...

 

http://www.mooglyblog.com/linked-double-crochet/

[Jringer]

Thanks redrosesdz! I will practice that as well. I like how it is not as bulky as a sc.