One thing i truggled with when i was just starting to learn how to crochet was crochet straight edges. They were always croocked. But after i mastered keep straight rows when crocheting, i realized it was very simple. And all it took was one simple trick to keep crochet straight edges.
What causes uneven crochet edges?
There are multiple reasons that will result to having crooked crochet edges. Most commonly however is that we will miss the first or the last stitch of the row. But another resut of uneven crochet edges can be skipping stitches in the middle of the crochet project.
Missing the first or last stitch
The most common cause of uneven crochet edges is missing the first or last stitch of the row. These can be honestly confusing. I have been crocheting for years now and now and then i have to look twice, or even recount my stitches just to be sure that the stitch is not a false stitch.
When you miss the first or last stitch for a few rows, the crochet project will start to decrease and take a different shape than it should.
Adding stitches at the beginning or end of the row
This happens when you treat a chain like a stitch of the row, this will create an increase in your crochet projet.
It might also be that you are placing two stitches in the last stitch, or, you are treating the turning chain as a stitch and increasing the row without knowing it.
Missing stitches in the middle of the project
When you miss stitches in between the work, you will be decreasing the work. This is how some projects can be decreased, however, sometimes we decrease by accident simply because we skipped a stitch or two in the rows of your projects.
If this is repeated for three or four rows, it will definitely show.
Tips and Tricks To Crochet Straight Edges
Crocheting straight edges is not as hard as you think. It will call for a little focus if your main probem is skipping stitches between the end and begining of the row.
To avoid missing stitches in between
- Learn how to identify crochet stitches. They look like a side way “V” when you look at them from the top.
- Count the stitches as you crochet (this can be very tedious if you are working on larger projects like a blanket)
- Focus on smaller projects till you are comfortable with crocheting.
To avoid skipping the first or last stitch
- Have access to stitch markers, place a stitch marker in the first and the last stitch of the row, this way, you wil not miss them. What you will do is after placing your first or last stitch, leave a marker on top of that stitch to mark it as the first or the ast or both.
To Avoid Adding Stitches
Adding stitches at the end of the row, and in some cases, within the row is nother cause of uneven work.
To avoid this problem, you can just combine the top two tips.
- Use stitch markers to ensure you are not adding extra stitches at the end of the beginning of the rows.
- Learn how to count stitches or indentify a stitch so you do not place two stitches or skip a stitch in the middle of the row.
To practice this tips on crocheting straight edges, you can start with some simple beginner friendly crochet projects.
Remeber, learning how to crochet does not happen overnight. You will need to keep practicing and do not give up.
