Blanket growing in width

[HungryBun]

Hello fellow crocheters,

I am trying to follow this pattern but the blanket grew in width. I am not sure what I am doing wrong. Any ideas?

*update* I should of clarified I do use stitch makers and have not increased the amount of stitches yet the blanket had and extra 3in of width a quarter of the way through the project.

Thank you!

1. Chain 104
2. You can make a larger or smaller blanket by using an odd number +3 for the chain.
3. Row 1: hbdc in the 3rd chain from hook repeat until the end of the chain, chain 3 turn (101 st)
4. Row 2: hbdc in the first hbdc repeat until the end of the chain, chain 3 turn (101 st)
5. Row 3: Repeat row 2 until you have 20 rows. On row 20 chain 1 and turn.
6. Row 4: sc in the first hbdc, ebc, sc in next stitch, ebc, repeat until the end of the row. End with a sc . Chain 1 turn
7. Row 5: sc in the first stitch and all away across. Chain 1 turn.  
8. Row 6: Repeat row 4 & 5 until you have 18 rows. Chain 3 on the last row.
9. Row 39:  Repeat Row 2 until you have 20 rows. Chain 1 and turn on last row.
10. Row 59: Repeat Row 4 and 5 until you have 18 rows. Chain 3 and turn on the last row.
11. Row 77: Repeat Row 2 until you have 20 rows.
12. Knot and weave in ends using a tapestry needle. Cut off excess yarn. Enjoy

Edited October 30, 2023 by HungryBun
Correction

[bgs]

Are you counting your stitches in each row?  I know its a pain but it MUST be done.  Its very easy to make extra stitches and its better to catch and correct before moving on to the next row. 

[Lacycrochet]

Stitch markers are a great way to keep yourself from creating extra stitches which will cause the issue you are having.  I place stitch markers on every 25 stitches on a big project.  Counting as BGS says and stitch markers will save you the grief of having to rip it back.

Edited October 29, 2023 by Lacycrochet

[Tampa Doll]

Sometimes the biggest problem is the first and last stitch.  That is also where I place markers, to make sure I know where the stitch is.  This along wth counting the stitches in the rows.  

Sounds like you are counting the Chain 3.  Are you suppose to count that stitch?

[Granny Square]

Part of the problem is that the pattern is in error, if you make a chain and then make a stitch into the 3rd chain from the hook, the turning chain is 2, not 3, as the pattern claims.  You are using up the 3rd chain to put the first stitch into, and then only 2 left to 'be a turning chain' 

So if you chain 104, and make the first stitch into the 3rd chain, you have used 3 chains and created 2 stitches, and you have 101 chains to go (if the turning chain counts as a stitch).  The good news is you can make too many chains by accident or on purpose and stop short of the end of the chain and pick out the excess chains, in your case just 2.

But the fact that you are gaining stitches is a whole other problem, which I agree with the others, once you've got your stitch count right, DO use your markers.

If this were a regular DC (I'm not familiar with the stitch you are using), after the first row you normally chain 3, skip the first DC, and put your first DC of the row in the following DC: the reason you skip the first DC is that the chain 3 counts as the first DC, so you skip the first real DC so you don't add a stitch each row.  But since you are gaining stitches, I'm guessing that this stitch behaves like a DC in this regard

https://www.craftyarncouncil.com/standards/how-to-read-crochet-pattern  Scroll down to "working in double crochet", this shows a diagram where you've just made a turning chain, and which spot is the wrong spot, and the right spot, to make your first real stitch into - because the chain counts as a stitch, you have to skip the first stitch you encounter in the row.  

 

 

[NCcountrygal]

5 hours ago, HungryBun said:

Hello fellow crocheters,

I am trying to follow this pattern but when I went to step 4 and 5 and repeated them the blanket grew in width. I am not sure what I am doing wrong. Any ideas?

*update* I should of clarified I do use stitch makers and have not increased the amount of stitches yet the blanket had and extra 3in of width a quarter of the way through the project.

Thank you!

1. Chain 104
2. You can make a larger or smaller blanket by using an odd number +3 for the chain.
3. Row 1: hbdc in the 3rd chain from hook repeat until the end of the chain, chain 3 turn (101 st)
4. Row 2: hbdc in the first hbdc repeat until the end of the chain, chain 3 turn (101 st)
5. Row 3: Repeat row 2 until you have 20 rows. On row 20 chain 1 and turn.
6. Row 4: sc in the first hbdc, ebc, sc in next stitch, ebc, repeat until the end of the row. End with a sc . Chain 1 turn
7. Row 5: sc in the first stitch and all away across. Chain 1 turn.  
8. Row 6: Repeat row 4 & 5 until you have 18 rows. Chain 3 on the last row.
9. Row 39:  Repeat Row 2 until you have 20 rows. Chain 1 and turn on last row.
10. Row 59: Repeat Row 4 and 5 until you have 18 rows. Chain 3 and turn on the last row.
11. Row 77: Repeat Row 2 until you have 20 rows.
12. Knot and weave in ends using a tapestry needle. Cut off excess yarn. Enjoy

Here’s a tutorial using hbdc the herringbone stitch. She includes a video. Maybe you’ll catch what you are doing that’s making you go wider. Might help to practice the cloth pattern   https://daisycottagedesigns.net/herringbone-double-crochet-stitch/

[NCcountrygal]

Ebc (even berry stitch) Does your pattern give the definitions and how to make…

https://www.amorecraftylife.com/even-berry-free-dish-cloth-crochet-pattern-how-to/

[bgs]

If your stitch count is correct then your tension changed or it stretched as you worked it.  Usually my tension gets tighter the farther along I get.  You want to be sure and not accidentally grab a larger hook than what you started with.  I am guilty of having done that.  As pieces get larger I have to be careful to support or not pull on it so as not to stretch it out of shape.

Edited October 30, 2023 by bgs

[NCcountrygal]

Agree with Brenda.  Tension change.  When you start the berry stitch rows it will also cause changes because of the stitch change.  Maybe the designer compensates for this with edging or blocking?

[Horsy]

Part of the problem is that the pattern is in error, if you make a chain and then make a stitch into the 3rd chain from the hook, the turning chain is 2, not 3, as the pattern claims.  You are using up the 3rd chain to put the first stitch into, and then only 2 left to 'be a turning chain' 

Exactly.  I'd pay $20 for a pattern which has been vetted 10 times over for correctness.