Help with keeping baby blanket corners square ~

[Aineepooh1]

I have been making BBlankets for coworkers and I kinda made my own patttern.. I will ch 30 or more and hdc across.. I keep going until I have a nice size square.(8x8in) Then I like to go around all 4 corners of the square and I will hdc around all 4 edges and just keep going around and around ( kinda like a granny square but I am not slipping any stitches and it just keeps getting bigger. I am still just crocheting a square.. The problem is as I keep going around my corners are getting rounder and rounder and I WANT to KEEP my corners SQUARE~! I have tried hdc 2or 3 times in the corner stitch.. and that didn't keep it square either..

What am I doing wrong and how can I FIX IT?

thanks

Ainee

[Aggie May]

You will need to work 3 stitches into each corner on every row to get nice corners.

With HDCs it also pays to join each row and start a new row with CH2.

 

I would recommend that you actually try to do your square from the very centre rather than rows, because you will always get a perfect square that way.

Hope this helps a little.

Have fun.

Colleen:hug

[crochetsal]

Try working one round with 3hdc in each corner, then the next round with 5hdc in each corner.

5hdc in each corner on every round might work, but I've had trouble before with it being too many, so started alternating as above.

 

Also, instead of the 3 or 5 hdc, you could work (1hdc, ch1, 1hdc) or (2hdc, ch1, 2hdc)

Sally

[Aineepooh1]

Thank to both of you for replying~

Aggie May.. what do you mean "work from the center of the square instead of rows to keep a perfect square.."? Am I going to be working like a granny square.. where I will slip a stitch and just keep going around? I am a little confused... I am trying to avoid the granny square b/c I don't quite understand it yet to well.

thanks

[Aggie May]

What I meant was to actually start the square in the centre as in a Granny Square because it will always come out as a perfect square.

You would join each row then if necessary SL ST to the right place to start the next row.

 

 

These pics are two different examples of squares and as you can see the one done in all DCs has 5DCs into each corner to keep it square and the other one has 3DC, CH3, 3DC into each corner.

I know I said you need 3 stitches into each corner to get a square but that would be only if they are SCs. DCs need 5 because they are a taller stitch and need more.

Hope this helps.

If you need help to get the Granny Square going, please dont hesitate to ask.

Have fun.

Colleen.

[sfgwife]

also you can do the 3 in each corner or 1 st, ch 1, 1 st

 

that way when you get back to the corner you know where to put the next corner if you have trouble seeing the middle st of the corners

[Aineepooh1]

Thanks so much ladies for your help~! i will try the 5 hdc in each corner tomorrow and see if it starts to square up~! I will keep you posted.

thanks a bunch

Ainee

[Aineepooh1]

Well .. I finished the BBlanket.. with you ladies help it looks square ( not perfectly.. but square)... I guess that comes with practice..~

however the other thing I noticed and my SIL noticed in her crocheting is that one end of the project tends to be wider than the other end.. why is that?? are we not crocheting in all stitches... I just wondered b/c I have noticed alot of that in my crocheting

 

But thanks so much ... now

I will give the BB to the reciepent next week

 

thanks

Ainee

[crochetsal]

Glad you got your blanket done!

As for being wider at which end...is it the beginning end or the finishing end?

If it's the beginning, you could help this out by making the beginning chain with a size larger hook, then changing to the required hook for the actual crocheting. Sometimes the beginning chain tends to be tight.

 

Or it could be a matter of tension. Especially if you have the same number of stitches on your last row as you did on the first. I remember one mile-a-minute afghan I did, the strips were different lengths (same number of stitches, though!) because my tension varied. And yes, even mood can affect tension! If you're more relaxed, your stitches will tend to be a bit looser.

I usually crochet while I've got a movie that I like, or music playing, it helps keep me relaxed.

 

BTW, did you take a picture of your baby blanket?

Sally