need help

[amanda0074]

I am a mom of 3 teen boys and I am starting to need extra things to fill my days.
My oldest will be 20 in August, my middle son will be 17 in June, and finally my baby boy will be 15 in July. Anyway, I have been watching youtube to brush up on my crochet. I have a BIG problem. I cannot keep my stitches the same uniform, no matter what... PLEASE HELP??? Amanda S.

[MsBhaven]

amanda its your tension. and that just takes a little time I suggest making washcloths and potholders they are small and if you don't like they way they look they don't take much to pull apart and start over. They are a good way to practice tension and new stitches. I have a few ugly (bad tension and mismatch stitches in a few) washcloths and pot holders that I crocheted when I was younger they still work well. I use them for the really messy kitchen jobs

[imj9scrochetj9]

Do you have a consistant tension on the yarn as you are crocheting? Does your stitches change with your mood. I know that if I am upset and crochet, it shows up as a tight stitch and if I am relaxed, the stitch shows up as such. -janine

[Anaisa]

Howdie and welcome; I too agree that maybe making pot holders or granny squares to practice...happy crocheting.

[twinfaye]

How are you holding the yarn? You need a constant pressure and you need to use the same form for every yarn. I am right handed so I thread my yarn on my left hand, over my pinkie, under the ring finger, over the pointer finger, over the middle finger, and under the pointer finger and back over the pointer this allows me to lift the pointer finger and advance the yarn. I learned this way from a book and I had to make myself do it but now when I pick up yarn it automatically goes that way. I am not saying that is the only correct way but I am saying you have to do it consistently the same way. Hope that helps.

[Barbara G.]

Hello,

Welcome to the forums! It is nice to meet you and it looks like you already have the answer to your question. As you crochet more and learn to keep your tension about the same with each stitch, it will get easier usually....glad to have you here!

[Nova55]

Hello! I've seen many different ways to hold the yarn and hook, but my way is probably the simplest. I hold the hook like you would a steak knife, in my right hand. The yarn is held between the first and second fingers of my left hand, and is always kept taut. After I pull a loop through, I always push my hook through the loop to the thick part of the hook (between the "neck" and the thumb rest). This way my stitches end up uniform. I have noticed that my mood affects the tightness of my stitches though, just like Janine said.

[crocheting4u65]

I think everyone that has learned to crochet or knit has problems with the tension when they first start it will come in time just keep trying

[hooked for life]

Welcome Amanda, I'm sure with time your tension and stitches will become more consistent. Give it some time and keep it up, you'll get there. The ladies here are right, small projects will give you practice and with time, you'll see positive results. happy crocheting!

[Jean Marie]

Welcome Amanda!