Trouble with the gauge or something

[Karina Pütz]

Hi there! I´m new to doily making and I´m having the hardest time trying to make it look like the pictures from the pattern ! Mine are often lose, so I tried to make a tighter sticht. Still, no success. I changed the needle size as well, but aparently it still doesn´t look like the picture at all.
I´ll attach some pictures so you can have an idea of what´s my problem. 
I crochet just fine, making scarves, amigurumis, bags and even a dress once, but doilies? OMG, those are hard !!! 
Please help me ?
(the pictures with blue background are mine versus the original from websites and magazines)

Ops! I just realized I posted the 1st version of the round one, where I can see that I made a lot of mistakes as the number of rows and in the stitch itself. Still, you can see how different it looks from the original. I don´t know if it´s possible but I´ll try to attach the last try on that pattern, much better but still way different from the original.

[Karina Pütz]

This is the last try I gave with this pattern. Sorry for the bad photo, it´s on a frame already because I had it with it. ehehehe
My black cat is on the back. 

[magiccrochetfan]

welcome to the ville!  

 

I really do not see what the problem is!  Your doilies look fine to me!  

 

the second doily, the original looks a bit more dense than yours as yours looks more airy which is not a bad thing necessarily.  maybe  if you used slightly thicker thread it might look a bit more like the original.    but other than that i don't see much difference.  

 

what patterns did you use?  how does your thread compare to that used in the pattern?  

 

edit to add---i think yours would look more like the originals if you made them in white.  perhaps the "slimming effect" of black is the reason you feel like yours look too different.  

[kittyloverdeb]

And maybe once they are blocked they will look closer to the pattern ones?

[Granny Square]

Hi and welcome to the 'ville! 

 

I think the difference might partly be that you are making taller stitches than the maker of the originals.  Everybody has their own stitch tension, which could be different than the designers'; this includes stitch height.  Here's a blog post from a well known designer about this  (I confess:  I'm a yanker)

https://dorischancrochet.com/2009/01/05/confessions-of-a-lifter/

 

Looking at the first doily, I noticed that your picots seemed to fill up less of their 'box' compared to the original, which made me think of this.  If you are a lifter, it's not a bad thing (you're in good company with Doris!), it's just something to be aware of.  Usually it doesn't matter unless you are making a garment or something in the round from the center; for the latter, the diameter/circumference ratio is affected by stitch height and you'll get ruffling or cupping if it's different from the designer.

[Karina Pütz]

Hey girls !! Thank you all so much for your tips and ideas !! 
I´ll try to do that, change the thread and maybe a little more my stitch height, because I really want it to look like the original, I find them so beautiful !! 
If that works out, I´ll let you girls know ! 
<3 
Cheers from Brazil ! 

[ReniC]

I think your doilies look fine. The biggest complaint I hear/read from most crocheters is, "It doesn't look like the picture." Everyone's stitches are a little bit different. So, don't beat yourself up. Using thread is different from using yarn. Eventually, with practice, you will find a "zone" for your thread stitches you are completely comfortable with. 

I'm in complete agreement with all the ladies suggestions. The most important for me is blocking. Either by pinning it to shape, spray starch it, then let it dry. Or the other blocking method I use for small to medium size doilies; use spray starch and iron to shape.

Keep us posted and I hope you find your stitch happy place.