Help? Can't make this work right...

[kellywombat]

Hi Everyone, 

 

I have not been here in ages -just getting back into crocheting.. need it for my sanity!

 

Anyway.. I have tried for years to get this pattern right and I can't ever quite get it to look right.  I've used this pattern several times and each time I have given up and just made it an actual poncho.  This time I am really determined to get it to work.  Wondering if anyone here has ever used this pattern and how you made it lay right.  Mine is wonky... the back and the front points don't match up.  I have counted and recounted all my stitches according to the pattern but still it looks a tad lopsided.  I'm working on the size 4/5 this time - the last time I was working on the 12/15 month size.  

 

Any help would be wonderful and so appreciated!  

 

Here is the pattern's website.  

 

Children Patterns (tripod.com)

 

Thanks so much for any help! 

Merry Christmas! 

Kelly 

[Granny Square]

I've not made this, although I made a few of the 'going home' ponchos when that was popular, and it looks similar at the beginning. ' Sort of' a 2 sided granny square, except this has arm holes.

link to pattern

Is there a round or row where the pattern starts to go wonky for you?  Looking at Ravelry projects, several people have made it successfully.

Several rounds have a double or triple asterisks;  a double asterisk has a special meaning which is not the same as a single asterisk, (and no idea what a triple asterisk is), but the author seems to be using these as a single asterisk repeat symbol as far as I can tell (the pattern would have to tell you to do something DIFFERENT at the last repeat, if ** was used correctly, but it doesn't).  Just an observation.  

I fault the pattern a bit by not telling you how many shells you have each round, because if you arrive at round 16 on size 4/5 with the wrong number, the armholes won't work out right, and your points won't line up.  It tells you after round 4 and then stops. 

If I'm reading this right, you should be adding 4 half shells each round (1 on either side of each of the 2 full-shell points).  Each point is made into a point in the round before, so the full-shell points aren't increasing each round (but they are causing the sides to increase, like a granny square; I hope that analogy isn't confusing).  Each half the straightaway between the points of 1 round should have the same number of half shells.  So, you should be able to double check whether you've 'gone wonky' by lining it up and counting after each round, or folding point to point and making sure 1 shell is on top of 1 shell with no shells left over.  

We know row 4 has 18 half shells on each side, and a shell at each point.

Therefore, row 5 should have 22 half shells on each side, and a shell at each point, if my logic hasn't failed me.

[kellywombat]

Hi Granny Square... 

 

You are correct in your logic!  And yes.. I have been counting my half shells and the whole shells.  If I lay down the poncho.. if the points on the front and back match up... the neckline does not match up and if I have the neckline matched up the points are off to the left and right.  Actually it's like everything is leaning to the left.  So when I put it down and match the neckline, it appears to be to the left and right.   I hope that makes sense.  I'm wondering if I should have been turning my work each round?  But that was not in the directions.  The arm holes are even, although the points are not.  So at least I know the arm holes are correct and even.  

As I said earlier, I have attempted to make this several times and wind up just not doing the arm holes and making it a full on poncho.  But I really wanted to make it this time with the arm holes because I am making it for a 2 year old.  

Thank you so much for your help, and if you have any further advice, I'm willing to try it!  

Thanks again, and Merry Christmas! 

Kelly 

 

[Granny Square]

   I think you may be on to something with the 'turning each round" idea.

Things made center out in the round, same side facing, have a bias to them; if you make a big enough granny square for example, it will start to look like a 'swirl'.  I'm not sure if it has to do with a person's technique, and I don't recall it happening (noticeably) with the poncho I made ages ago, but here is an article that shows the bias, and several ways how to fix it--but the easiest way to stop it from happening in the first place is to turn each round.  The bias is still there, but a little bit one way on one row, then a little bit the other way on the next row, so it 'cancels out'.

It may not be entirely what caused your issue, but it can't hurt to try turning each round.