Learning to crochet can often be frustrating, and people often give up before they ever really get started good. I don’t want that to happen to you! Usually, one of the first problems is wandering crochet edges. Let’s start there, shall we?
Uneven CROCHET Edges
I am here to help you with some of the more frustrating points of crochet so that you can ease right through them. Learning to keep your edges straight is a very fundamental skill of crochet, but it is also one of the hardest. It isn’t a difficulty thing; it is usually a stubbornness thing.
As we start learning to crochet, we often overlook a very important stitch. No, it isn’t one of the 6 basic stitches, it is probably a stitch you haven’t really given a lot of consideration. It is, however, EXTREMELY important if you want to keep your crochet edges straight. That stitch is the LAST stitch of the row.
It doesn’t matter what actual stitch you are working with. It can be single crochet, triple crochet, even the puff stitch. The point is, if you don’t know where the last stitch in your row is, your edge is never going to be straight!
You see, the last stitch is usually where the first stitch of the next row is going to go. If you don’t know which stitch is the last stitch, chances are, your first stitch in the next row is not going to be in the correct place.
Looking at the photo above. Have I reached the end of the row? Have I found the illusive last stitch?
Narrowing Crochet Edges
That photo above, if I turn my work there and proceed to the next row, my edge will narrow. There is one more stitch that needs to be made in order to keep the crochet edge straight. You can see how the last stitch can hide from you, though.
If you make this mistake row after row, you get a narrowing effect as your work progresses leading to a triangle shape if you don’t correct it. Usually it takes a few rows before the crocheter notices the narrowing effect.
Once the last stitch has been missed, the only way to correct it is to undo all the rows back to that point and correct the mistake. Some people will advise that you can “add a border” to cover up the mistake, but in reality, your border will also have a narrowing effect to it. It may look better, but it would still be there.
Widening Crochet Edges
The widening effect happens because of the opposite, adding an extra stitch. Especially those who have already experienced the narrowing effect, they become somewhat paranoid wanting to make sure they get the infamous last stitch, so they end up adding a stitch at the end.
Now instead of narrowing, the edge is widening as you go up. Again, it will probably be a few rows before you really notice, and the only real way to fix it is to undo all of your work back to the point of the original mistake.
Count, Count, Count
It is something you will hear repeatedly, and it is something you will ignore, repeatedly. Trust me. WE ALL DO IT. NONE OF US REALLY WANT TO COUNT.
The fact of the matter is that counting your stitches is the only way to ensure you learn where that last stitch is. Notice I didn’t say it was the only way to keep your crochet edges straight. You don’t have to count forever. You don’t even have to count on every project, but if you count your stitches in the beginning, it will help you identify that illusive last stitch and you will start ending up with straight crochet edges.
If you are absolutely against counting, get some stitch markers, or something to use as stitch markers, and mark the last stitch until you learn to recognize it. Trust me, your edges will thank you!
My Ebook
If you feel like I have taught you something here, check out my eBook below. It is an entire book of information like this specifically for beginners. Get started building the foundation you need to learn to crochet!
Join our facebook group
ENTER YOUR EMAIL BELOW FOR A FREE BEGINNER’S STITCH CHECKLIST
