My Blanket Is Growing Worse

[cis4crochet]

And I don't know what to do. There is a HUGE increase on the edges! The only way to solve it that I can think of is to cut off the increase carefully, and crochet a border. But that's very risky, and this HAS to come out right. Another idea is that I increase a bit, stop increasing a bit, then decreasing to match the original width. Not so chancy, but also a difficult thing to do. Please, if you could suggest otherwise, just say it. Thanks, CHF!

[LaraKN]

DON'T CUT IT!!!!  That is asking for disaster. 

No much you can do for what is done already, other than rip it backwards.  Which I know from experience is painful to the crocheter's soul.  Hard to say what is the best fix.

What pattern are you doing?  if we can see/read we can recommend.

[cis4crochet]

I can't rip back because I'm using multiple colors. Sadly, even though I got it off the Internet, I memorized the pattern because of the repetition, and the pattern is lost. My other choice was to increase a tiny bit more, stop, then decrease, but again, I can't see where I made the increase. I can increase over and over again without knowing it. It's a ripple, and also my first afghan. But I'm determinded to make it pretty!

[Carol Ann]

I am with Lara!  DO NOT CUT IT!  No matter how painful, the best choice is to rip it back and start over.  Perhaps the ripple was a bit too much for you right now.  You could select an easier pattern.  There are so many of them.  And, it is best to keep your working pattern on hand and refer to it even though you may feel it is very repetitious because reading patterns takes time and practice but is always worth it in the end.  All of us can get off track even with the simplest patterns when we get distracted or are doing repetitious stitches so referring to your pattern every few rows keeps us more focused.  Make a habit of looking at your work after every few rows to double check for errors.  It saves ripping many rows all at once.  If you are using mulyiple colors just rip to the point of each color change and snip the yarn at that point if necessary.  You won't be wasting more than a few inches.  Ball up each color and reuse it.  Trust us---it is better to start over, having learned from your mistakes, than to keep trying to resolve the problems by increasing and decreasing over and over.  There is more frustration in THAT than actually starting over.  

[cis4crochet]

I'll select an easier pattern next time. But I'm still a bit doubtful about ripping back. I got pretty far before the increase, and I spent lots of time on it. Well, I'll try it anyway. I never saw it in enough time because I saw the border was straight, but later I saw the increase as I progressed. I just checked it and boy, I can't tell, it was so gradual! Don't worry, I won't cut it.  Thanks!

[Carol Ann]

Best of luck with it, CIS.  Just remember that we ALL have to rip things back ---and some of us have to do it more often than we like to admit.    My very first blanket was a large and continuous granny square.  I had similar problems to your's but I went ahead and kept trying to correct it and finished it.  I was so unhappy with it that I ripped the entire thing out, balled the yarn and started over on a simple shell pattern.  It turned out really nice.  I was always sorry that I didn't rip the granny blanket when I knew it wasn't coming out right...instead of doing the whole thing and then not liking it.  That was a moment when I realized the truth in the old saying, "If it is worth doing then it is worth doing right!" 

[tweed]

So sorry but the girls are right. I wish there were another answer. When you get it right you are going to feel so WONDERFUL and proud of all your work. Oh yes, drop that ugly word "RIP" and use the friendlier and less painful word.....FROG. Hang in there girl, you have come so far already and I can only imagine what talents you will have when you are my age!

[cis4crochet]

Okay...in that case I'll rip back. I don't have alot of other choices do I? I want this blanket to come out right, because once I made a blanket that flopped into a pillow. I was terribly disappointed and immediately wanted to try another pattern. I do want to be proud of this one. An issue I see with ripping back is that I might (I don't know how) end up with less, which doesn't concern me as much as I am allowed to make it smaller than intended.

[tweed]

((((hugs))))

[cis4crochet]

  Thanks for the encouragement. 

[LaraKN]

As far as keeping the edges straight (not increasing/decreasing), don't go by look, over a 2-3 rows it will look straight, but the more rows the more apparent it becomes. 

Counting is your friend!!!!

Even doing super simple patterns I count.  Idealy count every row, it saves you from ripping/frogging back too far.  I will admit that once I think I am comfortable with a pattern I only count like every third row.  Guess what?? When I do this I end up having to frog back at least 2 or 3 rows at least once every afghan, which as I frog backwards I mutter, swear, and vow to count every blessed row!!

Good luck

[cis4crochet]

Yeah, I didn't count...I'm going to remember that in later projects.

[kewlasme2003]

I am having the exact same problem!!!  The top pic is the side that finished on a decrease, the bottom is where it ends on an increase.  Now mathematically I understand WHY it is happening, what I don't understand is how to prevent it.  I really don't mind the very bottom of the blanket looking like this, seeing how it is just for my hubby for football season (and yes, I know what you are thinking  "but WHY the Cowboys???"  He was raised in Dallas, so it's kind of a requirement.    ), but I don't want every project I do with the ripples to have those "steps" at the ends.  Is there no other way to do it?  I am counting religiously now which is why I have such severe "steps" in the top pic.

[cis4crochet]

Wow, those pics look like my blanket in a way!

[cis4crochet]

Just thought you'd like to know...the problem is being fixed. It's tough on me, but it has to happen.