Help?!? Blanket Advice

[ivoryblue1]

Hello all --

 

My Grandmother taught me how to crochet, but her eyes are so bad she can no longer help me when I have difficulties... maybe someone out there can???

 

I am working on a baby blanket for a friend and obviously I want it to be perfect! But the bottom of my blanket -- the first row -- keeps on curving outward, and I don't know why. Like, if you pick up one edge of the blanket and let it hang down to the floor, the strip actually curves and makes a gentle crescent shape. I try to chain my first row as loose as possible, but no matter how hard I try my blankets always always curve in this way. Any advice???

 

Thanks.

 

-- Jess

[MamaHooks]

My advice use a size or two bigger hook for the starting chain, then which to the small hook for the rest of the afghan. That is the only suggestion I have sorry I am not more help.

[Aggie May]

Can you take a picture of the offending part?

Do you have the same number of stitches as you started with?

Are you starting and finishing your rows in the proper place?

What stitch are you doing?

So many questions.

There are so many things that can cause similar problems with crochet so let me know the answer to some of these questions anw I will see if I can help more.

Have fun.

Colleen.

PS, Just thought i would add that the baby will appreciate the blanket, no matter what.

[crochet smartcat]

If it is bowing outward away from the middle of the afghan, I would say that your beginning chain is too loose, not too tight. But as Aggie May suggested, a photo would be more helpful in diagnosing the problem.

[ivoryblue1]

Thanks for all your advice.

 

Here is a photo of my afghan. I'm only 10 rows into it, but the bowing is very pronounced. I have folded it in half because it is easier to notice and because it would be too wide for my camera.

 

The stitch is called "Jamie Stitch," though it's one my grandmother taught me and I don't know if that's a correct name for it or not. As far as I can tell my edges are correct because I am getting the appropriate scalloped effect and everything on the sides looks even. I did count the stitches and it seems I began with 43 and have ended up with 44. Even though it's a rather large stitch, (about a half square inch), I don't think that being just one stitch off should be enough to make such a prounced bow?

 

Any recommendations would be most appreciated!!! Thanks again!

 

[Aggie May]

I would start again if this is as much as you have done.

Can you write out exactly what you did on the first row?

Looks like you may have done your pattern stitches too close together.

If you dont want to put it on here, send the info to me in a PM and I will work it out for you.

I still think that starting again will be the best option in the long run.

I will look forward to hearing from you.

:hug

Colleen.

[ivoryblue1]

Colleen--

 

Thanks for being willing to help with this! The pattern for the first row is: Skip two chains, dc in the first chain hole, chain 2, single crochet in the same hole. (Skip two chains, 2dc in the next chain hole, chain 2, single crochet in the same hole.) Repeat () until the end. Then for each row above, you do the same 2dc, chain 2, single, in the hole maid by the previous chain 2 of the stitch below. Sorry, I am not up on my crochet terminology. Does this make sense?

 

I was afraid I'd have to start again, but honestly this stitch comes out so large that it goes quite quickly.

[AuntyM]

You might try chaining 1 rather than chaining 2. That should keep it straight so it doesn't curve.

[Aggie May]

I think it is your pattern.

I did some of the stitch and it does curve because there seems to be too many pattern repeats on the first row, possibly needs more CH then skip more stitches between each pattern.

There is a pattern around called Baby Bubbles. It is very similar to what you are doing but when I tried it, it stayed straight.

It is a very easy pattern so here is the link for you.

http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com/patterns/bubbles_baby_blanket.php

I hope the link works because I am notorious for not getting them right when I have not done copy & paste.

I will check in later to see how you are doing.

Have fun.

Colleen.

A cold but sunny winters day at my place. 9.06am 17th May 2006.

[Keiyla]

I am doing a scallop-y baby afghan right now, called "Rainbow Collage" where the foundation row wasn't really chains, but instead was a series of chains connected by dc's to give it the scoop look: chain 5, dc in fifth ch from hook, repeat a whole mess of times, then ch 5 (2 dc, ch 3, slip st ) in fifth chain from hook, (dc ch 3 slip st) at base of dc from the first set. The pattern for the rest is the exact same as the one you're using. Picture here of one I've completed:

 

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/403/1307/1600/Rainbow%20Collage.jpg

 

Anyhow, when I started, mine did the same bendy thing. As I worked on it more, though, the curve sort of straightened itself out. If I had to speculate as to why, I would say it was because I wasn't increasing. The afhgan had to settle for the same number of stitches I gave it every row, and the curve simply ran out places to curve to, if that makes any sense. It's easy to see the curve on yours because there are few enough rows that the other side curves, too. Double and triple the number of rows, though, and you get the idea...eventually the curve can't influence ALL of the other rows.

 

If your first row/foundation is too tight, even if it straightens out by itself, one side will be shorter than the other. Because of that, I'd measure both your curvy side and your other side, and see if they match.

 

Then frog it if they don't.

 

My other guess is that, if you used a straight chain for your foundation, the chain itself may not be allowing for the pattern. If you're only skipping 2 chains, but are MAKING what amounts to 5 stitches (2 dcs, 2 chains, 1 sc), something somewhere needs some room.

[ivoryblue1]

Hello everyone,

 

Thanks so much for all your advice with the baby blanket!

 

I checked out a few of the alternate stitches you suggested, but because this particular stitch is the one my grandmother taught me, I decided to see if I could make it work first before trying something else.

 

I used a combination of advice from this forum and things are all straightened out! I chained the foundation row using a larger hook (a J) and then continued on with an H. I still skipped two sts in the foundation row, but only chained 1 during the stitch instead of 2. Those two things combined seem to have done the trick!

 

Again, thanks so much for all your advice. Now I know where to turn when I have problems again!

 

And I will soon... I now have THREE FRIENDS who are all having babies within three months of each other! :clap:eek:clap There must be something in the water around here.... I have a lot of work to do, better get going!

[auntbubbels]

I always have the same problem, no matter what I am crochetting so I now use a larger hook for the chain. Even though, when using the same hook, I would crochet the chain loosely, for some reason, my rows get looser and looser therefore - the horrid curve!!!

 

good luck -