Crochet is full of infinite creativity and fun, but occasionally there are a few small mistakes. It's a situation that every crocheter faces and even seasoned veterans have left their own trail of mistakes in their crochet journey. Don't worry, making mistakes and learning from them is a sure way to grow. Let's take a look at what are the common mistakes, and solve them one by one, overcoming all the difficulties and enjoying the fun and fulfillment that crocheting brings.
Here's a catalog for quick reference.
1. Loose Yarn/Loose ends
When a loose thread is encountered, it needs to be corrected over and over again, which not only slows down the crochet progress but also may affect the neatness of the final product's appearance. How to avoid it? One is to choose the right high-quality thread, and the other is to master the skills of preventing loose threads.
How to choose the threads that don't come apart easily? First, learn to distinguish the different structures of threads.
According to the different structures and manufacturing methods of the yarns, they are mainly classified into ply yarn and cord yarn, in which ply yarn is a composite yarn formed by twisting two or more single yarns together by rotating them at the same time so that they are intertwined with each other, while cord yarn is usually a composite yarn formed by arranging or weaving multiple yarns or cords in parallel and intertwining them with each other. Comparatively speaking, the braided structure of cord yarn is more stable and less likely to fall apart than the twisted structure of ply yarn.
If you already have heaps of Ply Yarn. How should you face it? Here are two tips.
When crocheting, we pay attention to stretching the thread with our fingers to maintain the tightness of the thread, which can effectively avoid loose thread. In addition, we can wet the dry, smooth threads with water to increase the friction and bonding between the strands before crocheting.
To summarize, choose Cord Yarn, which has a solid construction, to prevent the problem of loose threads from occurring in the first place.
2. Stitching Errors
If we look back and check and realize that the pattern in one spot is not quite the same as the rest, there may have been a stitching error at that point. When you are a beginner, it is often difficult to tell which step you have made a mistake in, and this is mainly due to unfamiliarity with the stitches. Generally, it can be solved in two ways: by mastering the correct crochet steps for the stitch and by learning to recognize the finished state of different stitches.
The first is to master the correct crochet steps. This requires us to learn some basic crochet terms, crochet patterns, and tutorials, observe and imitate the crochet movement in the video, and carefully follow each step, in order to learn the proper crochet method. It is recommended to start with simple projects and work your way up, mastering the basic stitches before considering learning the other extension stitches.
Another part is the need to learn to recognize stitch patterns. Frustration can be high if one is unable to determine the correct form of a stitch and is skeptical of the project being worked on.
Learning to recognize stitch patterns can be done in two ways: first, by oneself. Observation and accumulation are very important. It is best to know the finished form of each stitch by heart, as we observe the finished form of each stitch; at the same time, we should keep practicing and comparing our projects with the examples, paying attention to the consistency of the appearance and structure. Below are the finished states of several stitches:
Of course, there will inevitably be situations where we can't judge for ourselves, such as very complex patterns, when we come across a very complex pattern, so we can ask for help: online resources, experienced crocheters, or the crochet communities. Let the accumulation and the improvement of personal skills go hand in hand, accumulate in practice, practice in accumulation, and slowly identify more and more different stitch patterns.
3. Difficulty in inserting
Everyone is nervous and excited when starting a new project, which is reflected in the process of crochet in which the holding force is uneven, sometimes loose, or sometimes tight. This results in the formation of stitch holes of different sizes and a decrease in the aesthetics of the finished product; if the stitch holes are too small, it is difficult to insert the hook and the crochet experience is not smooth. Thus, it's crucial to maintain just the proper size of the hole.
To crochet with the proper size hole, first need to find a suitable way to hold the yarn, and we can learn several ways to hold it. Before we start the project, learn how to flexibly adjust the tension by winding or clamping the line with your fingers, so that the coil is not too small due to excessive force.
In addition to the tension factor, the crochet hook type will also have an effect on the size of the stitch hole. In the case of consistent wire, the smaller the crochet hook size, the smaller the hole formed, and vice versa, if the thread is the same. Therefore, using a larger crochet hook and utilizing the curvature of the front side of the hook for inserting will also help to alleviate the problem.
To summarize, by mastering the holding skills and choosing the right type of crochet hook, we can effectively avoid the problem of difficult inserting.
Ps: If you're not sure which yarn to use for the project and the matching crochet hook, just learn more about the different materials and types of crochet hooks and yarns here. 【learn more】
4. Miscounting (Misalignment)
Our projects usually include a lot of repetition and change, and it is possible to accidentally misremember the number of stitches. An occasional counting error can, however, lead to a poor end result of the project, such as the formation of irregular shapes or holes, pattern dislocation, abnormal shape, size mismatch, or other appearance problems.
To solve this problem of miscounting, we need to carefully count the number of crochet stitches in each row, especially after completing each row or round, and make sure that each stitch is placed correctly. We can make it easy for ourselves to count with the help of counting tools, such as using the marker clip every 15 or every 20.
Apart from this, regular checking is a practical tip that is very necessary to get into the habit. It can help you catch mistakes early, reduce the work of fixing them, and improve the quality of crochet projects.
5. Hiding the yarn
When working on a project, we usually need to hide the cluttered threads in order to keep it neat. While it is important that the threads are hidden, it is even more important that the stash is tight.
Hiding the threads properly is one of the most important safeguards for the remaining project to proceed or for the finished product to function properly. Otherwise, it's scary to suddenly realize one day after finishing the project that the thread in a certain location is detached from the original crochet structure or even shows signs of disintegration. Therefore, for the durability of the project, at the end of each round or thread change, we need to set aside a long enough thread to hide it securely. This can be done by inserting a few stitches into the original crochet structure with a towing needle or by tying a knot to prevent the thread from falling out and the project from coming loose, thus giving our projects a longer "viewing time" and "useable life".
6. Finished crocheted item difference
If we find that the appearance of the finished crocheted item is not as perfect as expected, there are problems such as twisted or deformed, different tightness, and looseness. In addition to the above, we can also consider and improve our projects in the following ways.
(1) Some projects may need to change color, which involves the issue of thread change. Some friends may focus on the color while ignoring the material of the thread. Inconsistent material of the yarn is very easy to distort or deform the whole project. So in the same project, try to use consistent material from beginning to end, especially in multi-color projects, using the same size and material of thread can better ensure the regularity and beauty of the project.
(2) Difficulty in maintaining consistent crochet tightness is a common challenge. During the crocheting process, we sometimes tight and sometimes loose, resulting in uneven tightness of the finished product. It can be said that quantity creates quality, and to solve this problem, it usually takes a lot of practice to get muscle memory. With a certain amount of practice, your crochet skills will continue to improve and the texture of your project will also improve.
Pay more attention to the above issues during daily practice regularly, which can effectively improve the quality of the finished project.
7. Terminology used in British or American?
In crochet tutorials, the terminology used can be either British or American, which can lead to confusion. It is a good idea to find out which terminology is used before we start a new tutorial. Usually, the tutorial will indicate the terminology used, but if it is not clearly stated, you can confirm by checking other resources or asking an experienced crocheter. Being familiar with both terms will help you better understand and execute the instructions in the tutorial. Just in case, here's a really useful conversion chart:
|
U.S./Canada |
U.K. |
|
Slip Stitch (sl st) |
slip stitch (ss) |
|
single crochet (sc) |
double crochet (dc) |
|
half double crochet (hdc) |
half treble (htr) |
|
double crochet (dc) |
treble (tr) |
|
treble/triple (tr) |
double treble (dtr) |
|
double treble/double triple (dtr) |
triple treble (trtr) |
|
gauge |
tension |
|
skip (sk) |
miss |
|
yarn over (yo) |
yarn over hook (yoh) |
8. Repair
Two methods are generally used: removing the needle for Frogging and unraveling the thread for Tinking. The choice of which method to use usually depends on the severity of the error, the availability of the thread, and personal preference.
Frogging is a more thorough repair method and is suitable for extensive errors. If the error is found to be further ahead and Tinking a few rows is hard to repair it, or when we choose the loosened strand yarn, then just Frogging to remove the entirety of the error from the location of the error to the subsequent section to ensure the quality of the final product.
Thinking, on the other hand, is a much more careful and precise method of repairing with less wear and tear. If only a small mistake was made in the first few rows and you don't want to completely remove the crochet work, then we can use the method of Tinking. Uncrochet the first few rows one by one until you reach the point of error, and then re-crochet the correct stitches. Tinking is less wasted on the thread but requires a high quality that will not fall apart easily to withstand repeated unraveling and re-crocheting.
Frogging and Tinking are normal repair techniques in crochet. Learn to utilize these two methods, and we can basically fix any problem with them.
Above are the difficulties we may have to face when we first learn to crochet do not worry too much when there is a mistake, just tear the thread or unravel the wrong part and start again. Through practice and experience, you will improve your ability to solve specific problems.
There is no need to be intimidated; there is a solution to any problem. We wish you a more enjoyable crochet experience with Yeezhee!
Sometimes we are so careful about all of the above issues and still find an error when we check at a certain point. Don't be discouraged, we are crocheters, not machines, right? So how to fix it?
