filet crochet

[HannaH]

I use simple filet patterns to make baby blankets. I sometimes make up my own but when I try them out, they end up distorted. I use a graph and it always looks good on the graph but then it doesn't crochet up correctly. I alter it and make it work, but I wanted to start a bigger project, one I can't really start from scratch on and I was wondering if anyone had any advice on how I can adjust the pattern before I crochet it up. PLEASE HELP!

[Granny Square]

I just learned something the other day from another 'viller, Katchikan. I hope she doesn't mind me passing along this tip.

 

Is your distortion problem that your pattern turns out 'short and fat'? I had the same problem, I'd designed some patterns also that turned out that way.

 

I'd been using the 3 DC stitch per block filet method. I figured if I used the 4 stitch it would really be that much more distorted, unless I used TR instead of DC. Katchikan's hint was to use an extended DC instead of the DC to make the blocks square. I haven't tried it yet, but it sounds like that should just be enough to make it work.

 

edit - here is the thread with her tip

http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showthread.php?t=58306&highlight=extended