Crochet chart/graphghan image border jagged

[Chars]

I am crocheting a blanket with Mickey and Minnie but the black doesn't seem to be working out right.

 

Edited August 9, 2019 by Donna
Removed some images due to copyright/trademark

[bgs]

I have only done color changes in smaller projects and never have tackled a graphghan.  First thing to check on is how you are making your color changes.

http://www.kariscraftsonline.com/2015/10/crochet-graphghans-how-to-change-color.html?m=1

Even when done correctly you dont get a crisp dividing line on all sides of your image.  You can see that on this Christmas tree mug rug

http://www.katiebugdesign.com/mug-rug-pattern-series-part-2-christmas-tree/

 I have done some research and am intrigued with this but have not tried it

https://www.recrochetions.com/p/reversible-intarsia-resources.html?m=1.

 

[Tampa Doll]

I have done graphs and it seems that if I have a singe line around an image, it is never straight.  You can do one of two things.  You can leave that stitch and make it like the background (when done around hands), then after you are done, you can stitch around these areas, or leave it as it is.  Now I use sc on my graphs and I have also done c2c, Now maybe doing it in afghan stitch, it might work different.

[NCcountrygal]

I learned colorwork via tapestry crochet method.  If this is your first go it may just be you haven't worked the color changes enough to keep tension and changes even.  Maybe, seeing this video or similar types will help.  

 

[NCcountrygal]

I prefer in the round projects and haven't made anything bigger than a large tote bag, pillows(flat, back and forth) and enjoy sock size.  I got better with every project.  🙂

Edited August 9, 2019 by NCcountrygal
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[NCcountrygal]

53 minutes ago, bgs said:

 

https://www.recrochetions.com/p/reversible-intarsia-resources.html?m=1.

 

Wow, I love her vest design.   https://www.recrochetions.com/2012/07/making-reversible-rowan-tree-vest.html

[Granny Square]

Love those hedgehog sox!

Chars, There are some other tapestry tricks in a video at tapestrycrochet.com.  Caveat, I haven't tried them yet--I've done tapestry but not since I saw these tricks.  Scroll down to the video 'flat tapestry crochet'.  2 methods shown:  the first shown is working left handed, which I know I'm too 'righty' to try, but the other is similar in action to purling (and I do knit), so might be easier.

Another thought is a technique, which you see in so-called 'Navajo' style blankets, where you work in the back loop, always with the same side facing - you end up with a fringe on each side, so don't have to weave in ends (yay!).  But that's not really colorwork, but is a segue to think tapestry looking like it was done in the round with smoother color transitions, but worked flat, bear with me...

... the Navajo blanket brings me to this pattern, which I made last year during the Olympics is in the round BUT done in the back loop, which makes it same side facing and therefore similar to the Navajo blanket, but it IS colorwork and is done tapestry style.  It does NOT make a perfectly smooth transition, but IMO it makes a much better one than the 'normal' way of using both loops. Below is my hat in process, where I was questioning how the edges looked a little spikey...so I made a swatch in the round (light blue) using 'normal' transitions.  I decided I preferred the more connected but spikey edge look to the haphazard blips and blops of color where it didn't belong on the light blue swatch.

This all sounds a lot more complicated than it is, I promise.

There is another stitch that I've been meaning to try, which is different to all of the above - the waistcoat stitch.  It really looks a LOT like knitting, and knitted colorwork is all neat and tidy with no blips and no leaning stitches in the round.  It's the waistcoat stitch, as in this pattern https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/waistcoat-stocking  Caveat, it would be a real pain to use this stitch in a blanket, although it looks like a knit stitch it's probably 2x more dense than regular SC.

 

 

[Granny Square]

It just occurred to me re: the waistcoat stitch, it probably wouldn't work with your pattern because the shape of the stitch would be different (shorter) so your picture would be distorted.  Might, however, be something to keep in mind to use it in a colorwork pattern designed for knit, which is also shorter than sc.

[bgs]

Diana those socks are fabulous!