New to crochet and so frustrated. Please help!

[amyb]

I have been teaching myself to crochet with the help of You Tube. I live doing it but am so frustrated. I have been working on blankets and trying to improve tension. I don’t know what I am doing wrong. I count stitches every single row so I know the stitch counts are correct but the width of my projects keep changing. For example, my most recent blanket, the starting chain measured 28 inches. The first row was 30. The 2nd, 32. It evens out after awhile but then changes again as I go. I’m sure it’s tension but I don’t know how to fix it. I’ve changed hooks. I’ve changed the way I hold the yarn. Please help!

[USpolishgirl]

When it comes to keeping even tension, only a lot of practice will help with that.

Maybe you should start practicing on a smaller items like: washcloths, scarfs and...

That is my opinion on that subject. I know that is how I started :). 

Krys

[amyb]

Thank you, Krys!

[bgs]

One issue I had as a beginner was I made my chains too tight.  It was often  difficult working in the chain to make the first row.  My chains besides being hard to work into didnt provide enough space for the stitches to naturally lay flat so they fanned out making the row longer and the next row longer.  This was always more pronounced on projects with longer starting chains.  One tip I found that helped was to use the next size (or two)  hook size up to make the starting chain.  The other thing which I have yet to become proficient at would be to skip the chains all together and use foundation stations.  

[NCcountrygal]

I agree with Krys.  And will add that once you are a pro tension issues will continue.  Ie. when you fatigue, stressed. You will also learn based on your regular performance whether you need to go up a hook or down on achieving gauge

starting out work on smaller items till you get your sense of tension and consistency. Oh row 1 is always tighter because of the chain, you can try starting with 1-2 hook sizes larger then back to hook called for in your project 

[NCcountrygal]

Brenda we must have Been typing at the same time. Lol. Foundation chain for me is tedious but if I best-need todo it I will. Bwg. It definitely is looser than just chaining 

I like to go into bottom hump. I use that technique when starting socks

Edited August 23, 2020 by NCcountrygal
Clarify

[bgs]

Another thing to be mindful of when working on a large project like an afghan is if its not supported while working on it the weight of the yarn will stretch it out of shape.

[Granny Square]

Excellent advice above.  A bit more...

Re: tight stitches and having to do with the chain - different strokes work for different folks -- there are different ways to work into a chain, here are the choices in case one you hadn't tried yet works better for you.

Foundation chains are fine for some plain stitching, but be aware they won't work for everything--some patterns need to start with a chain--example sometimes the chain doesn't just lay quietly in a line across the bottom, it gets pulled up and becomes part of a complex stitch and won't work if you start with foundation SC for example.  

A different way of working into a chain might help you - there are 3 ways, one is guaranteed to be tight, which is working into the back bump.  If you use this method, make the chain with a hook 1 or 2 sizes bigger than you will be using for your fabric, then switch to the right size hook for the chain.  The the underside of your first row looks like the top side of your stitches.

Second method, which I use, and does not pull the chain tight at all: with the chain side facing you, use the top lop of the chain.  The underside of the chain, comprised of the back bump and the bottom loop, looks like a chain with it's legs crossed.  

Third method, also does not pull the chain tighter than the fabric: with the chain side facing you, use the top lop of the chain and the back bump behind the chain.  The underside of the chain will have 1 loop.

For crocheting tight in general - if you are using a tapered style hook , (Boye hooks are tapered) where the hook has a narrower neck than the shaft/handle, make sure you don't form the stitches right at the skinny tip of the hook.  I crocheted tightly when I was new (not just chains), and realized this was my problem, now my tension is about average compared to most designers swatch gauges.  Tapered versus in-line hooks so you know what I'm talking about - I guess if you are using in-line hooks you'll have to focus on loosening your death grip    Or, just use the trick of using a bigger hook for the chain and switching to the right size for the stitches for any of the methods.

[USpolishgirl]

I will tell you about a very different  problem with yarn I experienced.   At that time already got that even tension under control. It was my first bigger size afghan I planned to make two of them (Twin size) for my granddaughters when they were much younger.

Since that afghan required many different bright colors (for applique big beautiful flowers) on each side, most  of that was done in white color. After looking for a while on Line for the proper yarn and to get all those different colors in it. I decided that my only choice would need to be RHSS yarn because they had all those colors I needed for those blankets.

At that time I was not very familiar about quality of different yarns. I did bought all that yarn I would need to crochet 2 Twin size blankets. It was a lot of yarn! LOL. To make that long story little shorter.  I was never  able to make those afghans because of very BIG inconsistency in thicknesses in that yarn, specially that white color yarn (which was about 85% of that blanket). That yarn was so bad...for many yards it was very thin than again about 4 or 5 rows would get twice as thick and on & on....:(. That blanket was coming out wider & narrower every couple or few rows on & on......:(.

I did tried everything that I could think of it to make that work.  I finally needed to give up!.  I strongly believe if that pattern for those blanket would required using smaller pieces like granny squares or even long stripes (to be connected all together). I think that bad yarn would worked somehow. But, not in one piece crocheting that blanket from side to side.

Yes, I used up all that yarn thru the years for smaller items. Most of that to make my Amigurumi. It was not bad using that yarn for smaller pieces.

I learn one thing. When it comes to making a big blankets ( crocheted in one piece) we need to buy a good quality of yarn! :). I did not knew that a manufacture making yarn can do something like that and put that up for sale! :(.

Krys