What Am I Doing Wrong? from Anchorage, AK

[Patt]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"]I made a pair of handwarmers for my granddaughter and tho they turned out fine, I had the worst time with the yarn! I used Red Heart Super Saver, color Woodsy, a variegated yarn, worsted weight 4. And the stuff split on me continually! Especially when pulling my hook back through the stitches, it would hook a part of the strand and jam up my work. What am I doing wrong? This is the second type of yarn I've had trouble with; I consider myself an ok crocheter; I can do some intermediate patterns but not very many. Also, to my embarrassment, I can't seem to make a perfect rectangle or square. Somehow I add or subtract stitches and don't know how I'm doing it. I follow the stitches very carefully and have a strong light source to help me see better but I still wind up increasing especially and have to decrease to get it back in line. I feel so stupid that I can't master this. Any words of advice?

[billiebob]

Hi Patt My only advice is count, count then count again when making anything. Why your yarn splits I don't know. I know why mine does, I get going along and stop thinking and not paying attention how the hook comes though the stich. I hate it but once i slow back down it comes out ok. I hope this helps. This site has some wonderful show and tells. check them out.
Good stiching
Billie

[Landon]

Hi, Patt and Welcome!!

I am Landon, I am fairly new to crocheting. First of all, please do not feel bad about your crocheting issues! We have ALL had them! Girl, I am going to post here some of MY first pieces:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1555[/ATTACH]

LOL, the colours are pretty but what on Earth was I trying to do? I learned how to crochet from a kit from Walmart and I was skipping a yo in my piece, LOL I watched a video from youtube where I realized that my rows were consistently uneven because I was starting each row in my turning chain, not in the last stitch of the previous row.

I have learned much more here, and I see women who have been crocheting for decades learning new tips and techniques all the time!

Is your tension consistent throughout your piece? If you have the same number of stitches in your foundation row and so ever many rows later you have the same number of stitches, your tension is off. I have a tendency to do my foundation row tight then relax on the rest of my piece. So, my piece fans out.

Are you doing single crochet, double crochet or which? I have read 2 articles where they say that the turning chains can be dropped. Is that where your problem is? I will locate the articles if it is.

Can you post pics of your work so we can see it? Ya know, about the thread splitting, I get that, I thought it was just part of the crochet territory.

I am glad to see you here!!
Happy Crafting,
Landon

[nothingnowhere]

I have yarn split all the time. It can be a pain the the butt lol I'm not really sure if there is a way to prevent it from happening.

[Patt]

I'm doing squares in half double crochet to be joined together to make an afghan. Maybe that's where I'm off, I think you're right I'm putting a stitch in my turning chain. Ill try making sure I don't do that anymore.
As to photos of the thread splitting, I have no camera and the project is finished, it just took a lot of frogging (rip-it. rip-it, etc) to take out the split areas and redo them. The handwarmers turned out great, but sorry I have no photos of it, nor do I know how to post them if I did. Thanks for you're advice!

[Landon]

It is my pleasure!!

[Val]

I have problems with my yarn splitting too..it also could be how you are turning your hook when you pull it thu the stitch. it might be catching on the yarn.

[armybrat]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"] Also, to my embarrassment, I can't seem to make a perfect rectangle or square. Somehow I add or subtract stitches and don't know how I'm doing it. I follow the stitches very carefully and have a strong light source to help me see better but I still wind up increasing especially and have to decrease to get it back in line. I feel so stupid that I can't master this. Any words of advice?

My advice is.....count, count, count. I've been crocheting for years and I still count every single stitch in my head. Also, when you're starting a new row....if using sc stitches, the first sc goes in the first stitch.....for dc, you chain 3 (this counts as the first dc of the row), then do the first dc in the second stitch.....and keep on counting. As for my constant counting....just ask my kids....if they want to irritate me, they'll start saying numbers out loud! Hmmmm....might need to crochet a few gags!

[Maryjane]

I'm always counting too! But my almost 2 year old granddaughter can count to 5 already!! If you put a small safety pin on the last stitch of the row, you will always know where the last stitch! That may help you!

[Patt]

thanks, I do that for circles, I'll try it on my squares. don't know why I didn't think of that... I appreciate the suggestion.