Leaning crochet

[Donna Price]

I’m working on an afghan and there is a pronounced “lean” on both sides. I’m using the correct number of stitches in each row and have never experienced this before. It’s a new pattern but I’m just perplexed. Luckily both sides are “leaning” in the same direction. 

[bgs]

Crochet stitches have a natural lean to them.  Usually working in rows  offsets it but it gets more pronounced working in rounds.  Here are links to a couple of previous discussions.  

 

 

[Granny Square]

^ Working in rounds, whether on a hat or toy in a 'tube' or a granny-square type item, exacerbates the 'bias' that crochet stitches have.  The top loops of a crochet stitch, where we put stitches into for the following round, don't sit directly on top of a stitch, they sit a little to one side.  As Bgs said, working in turned rows this doesn't happen--well it does, but the bias cancels itself out so you don't notice it, like this

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In the round, this happens

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But you said you are working in rows, and the blanket it leaning in one direction, like this  /   / but the stitch count isn't off.  It sounds more like you (may be) adding a stitch on 1 side, and subtracting it on the other, perhaps?

This works better, or is easier to see, on a plainer stitch pattern--Look at your blanket, pick a stitch (example) 5 stitches in from 1 side, and 'follow up' the column of stitches made into that stitch the blanket.  If it remains 5 stitches from the edge, you're keeping on that side.  If it disappears off the edge you are losing stitches on that side; if that column ends up more than 5 stitches from the edge, you are gaining stitches on that side.