Why does my first row of stitches look wrong?
How to tackle common problems…
Step 1 Last issue, we made a practice row of double crochet (dc) stitches, which should have looked like this. In brief, we made 11 chains, skipped the first chain and worked a dc in the second chain and in each chain across. At the end of the row, you should have
10 dc. You can check by counting each little ‘v’ shape along the side of the fabric or count each plaited chain-like shape along the top.
Step 2 The most common problem you may encounter when making the above practice row is to accidentally skip a chain. It’s easily done and here, I’ve missed a chain so I’ve only got 9 dc. There’s only one solution – you’ll have to remove the hook and pull on the yarn to undo your work, until you reach the skipped chain. This shows why it’s so important to count your stitches at the end of each row – if you don’t discover the error until the next row, you’ll have more to undo!
Step 3 Another common issue is working tight stitches, which will pucker the chain, creating baggy-looking loops at the bottom edge, as shown here. Tight stitches will also be shorter than they should be, causing sizing problems – for example, 5 standard rows might usually measure 5cm, but 5 tight rows might only measure 3cm. To solve this problem, try to relax your tension – unwrap the working yarn from some of your fingers and make sure you make the loops at the shank of the hook, not the neck.
Step 4 Crocheting with a consistent tension is vital for creating a neat fabric, so get this right early on so that it doesn’t hold you back. An inconsistent tension means uneven stitches, like here – some are tight and short, others are looser and taller. If your first row looks like this, don’t worry – the fact is that every new crocheter’s first row looks like this! The key to getting things looking neater is PRACTISE, until hooking stitches feels comfortable, familiar and consistent.