afghan isn't matching up at the ends

[RIPdotty]

I'm not really sure why the afghan is different widths at the end. It's Red Heart yarn. Quite a few of the colors have a noticeable bit of a difference in thickness, which makes it a bit difficult to keep the stitches a consistent size. I would think if that was the case it would be 'off' the whole length of the afghan making it even. It's the first thing i've crocheted so I figure it would be off a little bit, but not by this much.

[redrosesdz]

Is your stitch count the same on the first row & the last row? That would be my first guess as to why the widths are different.

[magiccrochetfan]

welcome to the ville!  it's not unusual to have different thicknesses in different colors, even if the yarn is the exact same thing.  

 

i'm not sure from the photo which way it was worked, whether the stripes are rows or if you carried the colors up vertically to create them?  What pattern is it?

 

is it finished or are you still working on it?  Have you washed and dried per yarn label directions?  that will often help the stitches settle into place.  

 

at any rate it doesn't look very uneven to me and probably won't be noticeable in use.  

[magiccrochetfan]

Hi Sharon, we are doing the synchronized posting tonight lol !  

[RIPdotty]

Ya it's not adding/removing stitches, i've counted them.  The front of the afghan is a pattern of (6+1) so it's fairly noticeable when there's a mistake.  I really have nothing to compare it to since it's my first one.  It's getting a bit cumbersome to work with as it gets bigger so I dont know if I might just be a little too rough with it and stretching it as move it around.  All of the stitches are only through a single loop, instead of 2, and i'm always working on the same side and in the same direction as I work.

[RIPdotty]

Here's the front of it

[RIPdotty]

And a wider shot

[magiccrochetfan]

Ah now I see the construction, thanks for the additional photos .

 

So where exactly is it that you feel the size is changing?

 

Have you measured it in several different spots or are you just eyeballing it?

[RIPdotty]

When I fold it in half and try to match up the colors on both ends only a few rows will match up before the colors dont match up.  I was just able to get them to match up mostly but only with a bit of overhang on one end.  The first and last several stitches always seem to be a bit tough for me.  When I cut the yarn at the end of the row, I pull it through the loops I use for the next row to hide it.  That seems to make those stitches at the end slightly bigger.  The first few stitches of the row seem a bit loose.  And as it goes through each color the pattern takes longer and longer to start.  The double/treble or whatever it is in the front, seems to be the only thing helping the afghan keep some solid/even shape. 

 

I haven't measured it, I was more worried about it looking off to the naked eye.  I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so I may just be asking too much.  It was supposed to be a christmas present this year but it's taken more time to find all the right colors and get started than i would have liked.  I wanted to make a similar one but more gradual color changes, but it's been really tough finding certain colors in the right shades.  I started adding some other brands to get the colors/shades I was missing but still missing a yellow, gold, orange, and 2 purple/blue. 

[magiccrochetfan]

Finding the right array of colors can be such a challenge, I can relate!

 

This is a huge project and if it is your first I think you should give yourself huge credit! I really don't see a lot of unevenness....remember it is handmade not made by a machine!

[redrosesdz]

It's gorgeous!

I agree with Kathy. It doesn't look uneven in the pics. It's never going to match exactly, but since your stitch count matches, it'll be close.

Kathy's advice to wash & dry it is excellent. It will change after washing. RH is washer & dryer safe. The more you wash it, it will get softer & more relaxed.

There's a number of things that impact stitches. Tension is the biggest. As you get used to a pattern, it goes faster, which changes your tension. Also mood is a factor in tension changes. Where you sit, whether you get distracted (talking, TV, etc.), changes in light, temperature & time of day can cause changes. Being a newbie makes tension changes more prevalent. The more you crochet, the less you'll have changes. However, they never go away.

Yarn can not only vary between colors, they can vary within a skein. RH & Caron are known for slight variations. The higher priced acrylic yarn is more even. When you get to really expensive yarn, they're made by individuals/small companies & some are hand made. These vary more, because of the hands on methods of manufacturing.

So, if you're going to make items from yarn, throw your perfectionism out. It'll drive you nuts, because it's never going to be exact.

Besides washing/drying, there is blocking. You can block acrylic only for gifting. As soon as it's used, it'll no longer be blocked. Blocking is better for animal fiber.

[Granny Square]

That is a gorgeous blanket!  I agree it may be tension, for all the reasons above, plus sometimes when a project gets big and weighs down on your hands and hook, it could have an effect on your tension as well.

[RIPdotty]

It seems like it's a combination of changes in tension throughout the work from switching posture and all the yanking and pulling on the work.  I let it sit for a few days and when I started looking over it, it seems to have shrunk back up and it's not as "holey".  I was a little worried about doing this one with looser than normal stitches, but it seems to be holding up well.  It feels quite a bit softer than the scarf I made with RHSS.  The scarf did soften up quite a bit after 2 runs through the washer/dryer though.

 

I'm considering making a border around the whole afghan with the light hues from each color used to hide the rough spots.  I'm just not sure what would look good with the pattern.  Something tells me it should be on the simple side since the afghan pattern is so busy.   Anyone have any suggestions?

[Granny Square]

My 2 cents, I don't think it needs a border, looks great as is.  

[magiccrochetfan]

I agree with Granny Square, I would not border it.  I think it looks more artistic without.