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Count, count, and count again!
Hey, everybody. I'm hoping you're all having a wonderful day.
Counting stitches is not my fave thing to do, ughy, ughy.
However, counting the stitches is so important to a finished product turning out right.
Case in point. I'm making this thingy, which I guess should be called a shawl. My idea was make it as easy as I could on my nerves, not realizing when I started that I would be counting till my brains fall out on the floor. So, I decided to make a shawl about 60" wide and 20" from neck down to my lower back, in other words, to cover my whole back when sitting.
To do that I had to start with a long chain (I don't remember how many I did - just had hubby coaching...make it longer, lol!) and after doing double crochets across, I ended up with 79 stitches per row. umm. The entire shawl will be all double crochet, nothing fancy about it. Just a nice long cuddler kind of thing.
79 stitches per row. good grief. The first few rows were nice and even but then they went wonky. What to do, count the stitches in the rows that were even and then continue counting for EVERY row. (Woe is me ... my plan didn't include counting, just flat-out crocheting double crochets, row after row.)
The upshot is after frogging some 9 rows and starting from there with the counting, I have a nice rectangle building with nice, even rows.
Counting all 79 stitches at the end of each row catches any mistakes fast and I don't have to frog and redo numerous rows!
Next project will only have 19 stitches per row...LOL! 
Freedom is not the right to do as you please, but the liberty to do as you ought!
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You are sooo right! I have to make myself count stitches. I made two scarves from the SAME pattern. When I finished the second one, it was "wide" in some places and "skinny" in others. I took it all apart and actually counted the stitches. It looked exactly like the first one where I counted the stitches because it was the 'first' one.
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I missed a stitch in the middle of a row and the only way I knew I missed a stitch was by counting and then I found out where I missed a stitch- in the middle of the row!
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Just like in real estate when it's location, location, location, in crocheting (at least for me), it's count, count, count!!!!
LI Roe
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Working on this shawl last night I got lazy, I reckon, and didn't count three rows. Guess what... I lost a stitch somewhere, lol and couldn't find the mistake so I snuck an 'increase double crochet' in the middle of the next row and got my right count back again. I don't expect this to be a regular habit, but crocheting is so forgiving and in a lot of cases you can get away with it.
Freedom is not the right to do as you please, but the liberty to do as you ought!
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You gals make me laugh. I thought I was the only one who lost stitches and couldn't find them - only to have to frog back and do over. bummer. glad to hear there are others with same problem - does an old gals heart good.
hugs
marge
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I have also enjoyed reading the posts about COUNTING, horrors! I was especially glad to read that crocheting is 'forgiving'.
Now my secret is out of the bag ! Ha ha!! Thanks for the laugh, you all are terrific!
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lol Ok I am going to tell on myself but when I lose a stitch I actually say " here stitchy here stitchy stitchy stitchy" MY hubby starts laughing and I start frogging One day I hope the stitch stands up and says here I am !!!!!!
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Dear Fellow Crocheters :
I have heard the term "frogging" often lately, would you please explain to me what it means? I am still in the process of catching up to a lot I haven't used in many years, after battling several serious health problems. However 'frogging' is a term I don't think I have ever used. So I would sure appreciate your help! Thank you bunches.
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hey I want to make a shawl and got some patterns off line did gauge on several and decided the yarn I have not do for them I have found out that if you are following a pattern you need the yarn it say unless you know what to change too and that is a big thing how to find out have been searching on line to see not come up with any thing yet so maybe I just have to start with a simple prayer shawl like do chains and then do row of single and then row of double but not know if have to increase to make it come out right can any one help thanks
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