Why do my beanies stretch?!

[billychick]

Hi... I'm a crocheter for a few months... I can do beanies up really quick... but my problem is they always stretch after use! It's so frustrating!

 

What am I doing wrong??

[natalie058]

I think the stretching is just something that occurs, it's not something that you're doing wrong. Crocheted fabric doesn't have the same type of "bounce back-ness" that knitted fabric does.

 

There are a couple things you can do to combat it though - for example, certain fibers, like cotton, will stretch more than others, like nylon. You can try washing your item - with acrylic this sometimes helps.

 

If it's the actual stitches that have stretched out, there might not be much you can do to salvage the item. Next time, you might try working a hook size or two smaller, or try to keep your tension tighter. And, although I've never tried this, carrying along a strand of thread with your yarn is supposed to help stop stretching also. You could make neat effects this way, too - use thread of the same hue, or slighty varying for a tweed, or totally contrasting.

 

Good luck!

[sprtsbear]

You could try slip stitching the last row, that might help.