The Morning Crafter

Like anything, crocheting and fiber arts, in general, can bring with them a slew of potential mistakes. The most common crochet mistakes are easily solvable, and often can teach us the power of pivoting, adjusting, and getting creative about a solution.

In this post, I’m going to walk you through some of the most frequent crochet errors and how to correct them. From miscounting stitches to tension troubles, and even feeling pressured to sell your creations when it’s not your passion, I’ll cover a wide range of problems and their solutions. By the end, you’ll be well on your way to smoother, more enjoyable crochet sessions—plus, you might even save yourself the frustration of having to frog your work!

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, these tips will help you avoid those dreaded crochet mishaps and make your projects even better.

Mistake #1: Tension troubles

Perhaps the most challenging thing to get right in crochet is mastering your tension. Tension refers to how tightly or loosely you hold the yarn and work your stitches. It affects the overall size, shape, and feel of your finished project. If your tension is too tight, your stitches will be smaller and the fabric may become stiff. If your tension is too loose, your stitches will be larger, and the project may lack structure or end up bigger than intended. Achieving consistent tension is important for ensuring your projects turn out as expected, especially when following a pattern.

The solution to improper tension

Even for seasoned crocheters, it’s important to understand your natural tension. There are a few ways to adjust your tension.

1. Practice makes progress: Practicing swatches with varying crochet stitches can help you understand your natural inclination of tension.
2. Adjusting your hook size: Depending on your tension, to match the gauge or effect of the project you’re working on, you can adjust your hook a size up or down to achieve the appropriate look. If your tension is naturally tight, go up a hook size. If your tension is naturally loose, go down a hook size.

Pro tip: Crocheting when you’re stressed out or tense can increase your tension. If you notice things getting really tight, just take a break and come back to it.

Mistake #2: Miscounting stitches

Counting stitches can be a meticulous and tedious task, but it is necessary to keep the right shape in your crochet projects. Whether working in the round or on a flat panel, you want to ensure your stitches are lining up correctly. When the inevitable miscount happens, there are ways to fix it without necessarily frogging the entire thing.

Frogging in crochet refers to the process of unraveling your stitches to fix a mistake. The term comes from the phrase “rip it, rip it,” which sounds like a frog’s croak. When you realize there’s an error in your work—whether it’s a skipped stitch, wrong tension, or a miscount—you may need to undo part of your project by pulling the yarn back to the point where the mistake occurred. Frogging allows you to correct the error without starting over completely.

The solution to miscounted crochet stitches

1. Increases or decreases: Depending on how soon you notice the miscount, you can simply add in an increase or decrease to match back up to where you were supposed to be. For example, if you were working a flat panel and your stitch count was supposed to be 100, but you notice you’re only at 98, you can do 2 sets of increase stitches to make up the 2 missed stitches. Alternatively, if you were at 104 stitches, you can decrease 4 times over the course of the next couple of rows to get back to your 100 stitch count.
2. Using stitch markers: Using stitch markers is a great way to indicate where you are in your stitch count. I like to place them every 10 stitches so instead of counting to high numbers over and over again, I can just count by 10s. Stitch markers can also help you track the beginning of a row if you’re working in the round, which also helps with maintaining your stitch count.
3. Use a row or stitch counter: There are physical row and stitch counters, or you can use an app. These are great tools to use if you are they type of crocheter (like me) who gets lost in the project and starts to day dream about other things.
4. Frog it: You may not like this one, but if your stitch count is irreparable by increasing or decreasing, you’ll need to frog your work back to the place where the miscount started in the first place. Sometimes, it’s worth getting back to where you’re supposed to be, even if that means undoing your work and restarting.

Pro tip: Don’t stress about a few miscounted stitches here and there. Try out an easy fix first and when all else fails, then frog.

Mistake #3: Picking the wrong pattern

Going down the Etsy, Ravelry, or Pinterest rabbit holes can lead to a bunch of saved projects that can be mismatched to your skill or interest level. A pattern may look beautiful, but have steps or techniques that are wildly advanced. Alternatively, some patterns just aren’t well written and can lead to mid-project frustration.

The solution to picking the wrong crochet pattern

1. Read pattern reviews: Just like any online shopping journey, it’s important to read the reviews from real users to see if the thing you’re purchasing is actually living up to the expectations. The things you’ll want to look out for are mentions of unclear instructions, finished projects not turning out like the original, no support when questions arise, and mistakes that haven’t been rectified.
2. Check the skill-level: Crochet pattern designers should have the skill-level for each pattern indicated up front. If they don’t, its fair to message the designer and ask what level their pattern is appropriate for. There’s nothing worse than getting into the pattern and learning that it is too complex to be enjoyable.
3. Check what’s included in the pattern: Some crochet patterns contain only written instructions. While these can work for a seasoned crocheter, they leave a lot up to human error both on the designer and the crocheter’s part. With no checks and balances for other things, like charts, graphs, or pictures, you can get really far down the rabbit hole only to find that it’s not turning out right.

Pro tip: If you’re just starting out on your crochet journey, try to choose patterns that have been vetted. It’s easy to jump straight to a free pattern you find on Pinterest, but sometimes those free patterns haven’t been tested, therefore leading to mistakes that can leave you frustrated and disheartened to continue.

You can check out all of my free crochet patterns here to try out tested, reviewed, and accessible crochet projects.

Mistake #4: Skipping turning chains

There are a few different methods to turning your work in crochet that keep your edges straight. Some patterns don’t call for a turning chain, but others do. In my opinion, even for those that don’t require a turning chain, you should still do one.

A turning chain in crochet is the series of chain stitches made at the beginning of a new row or round to bring the yarn up to the correct height for the stitches in that row.

The solution to doing proper turning chains

The number of chains in the turning chain depends on the type of stitch being worked. Using these guidelines below (written in US terms), depending on your stitch height from your next row, you can determine how many chains to use.

• Single crochet (sc): Chain 1
• Half double crochet (hdc): Chain 2
• Double crochet (dc): Chain 3
• Treble crochet (tr): Chain 4

Pro tip: This applies when working flat. When working in the round, you can us turning chains, however, this can result in an uneven seam in your work.

Mistake #5: Using the wrong hook size

Using the wrong hook size can create projects that are either way too tight or way too loose. When you are making something that needs tight stitches, like amigurumi, you don’t want large holes where your stuffing will pop out. On the flip side, when you are crocheting something that needs more drape and breathability, you want to ensure you’ve got space in your stitches.

The solution to using the wrong crochet hook

Remember, your tension will likely dictate which crochet hook you need to use for your particular project. A great way to determine which hook size to use is to:

1. Start with the recommended hook size for your project or yarn.
2. Take a look and see how it looks. Is it too tight? Increase your hook size. Is it too loose? Decrease your hook size. Start by a half size at first and keep increasing or decreasing until you reach your desired effect

Pro tip: Buy an affordable set crochet hooks in varying sizes moving up and down by half sizes. That way, you can swap out sizes quickly!

Mistake #6: Using the wrong yarn

Similarly to choosing the wrong hook, the yarn you select can make all the difference. A common beginner mistake is choosing a really challenging yarn that is super hard to work with (ahem, boucle anyone?) It’s also really common for crocheters to choose yarn that is not well suited for the use of their project. A great example is if you were to be making a crochet hot pad. I’ve seen acrylic yarn chosen too many times to count for a hot pad. For those that don’t know, acrylic is plastic. And what does plastic do when it gets too hot? Melt-city. Choosing something like cotton yarn for a hot pad is a much wiser choice and will give your project the longevity and usability it needs.

The solution to choosing the wrong yarn

1. Check the yarn fiber. Be that your fiber will hold up to the use of your project
2. Choose something reliable and easy to work with
3. Don’t force it! If it’s not working in your favor, swap out your yarn for something that will work better for your particular project

Pro tip: Don’t always go with the cheapest option. If you’re going to make a wearable, for example, don’t go with something that will feel terrible on your skin or won’t breathe appropriately.

Mistake #7: Not buying enough yarn

One of the most frustrating things you will encounter in your crochet journey is losing a game of “yarn chicken.” Yarn chicken is where you crochet with what could be enough yarn but turns out to be just shy of the amount you needed. So, off to the store or website you go to order for, and wait for, your yarn to arrive.

A less known, but even more frustrating consequence of not buying enough yarn is actually in differing dye lots. Yarns are dyed in big batches called dye lots. When you buy yarn all at once, usually you are buying from the same dye lot. But, if its been a while and you need to go out and get more yarn, you run the risk of getting from a different dye lot. And unfortunately that can vary drastically.

The solution to not buying enough yarn

1. Take the amount you need for your project, and buy one extra skein or hank of yarn. This will ensure you have enough for any overage you may experience.
2. Double check the dye lots. If you do need to go out and get more yarn for your project, check the dye lot from the sleeve of your previous yarn. If you misplaced the sleeve, bring your yarn with you to check the similarities in the colorway.

Pro tip: If you absolutely can’t find a matching dye lot, you can reach out to various groups on forums to help you find a skein of what you need.

Mistake #8: Not gauge swatching

I should take my own advice. I do not gauge swatch. And I have lived to regret it more times than I care to admit.

A gauge swatch is a small sample of crocheted fabric made to check the tension and stitch size before starting a project. It helps you check that your stitches match the pattern’s recommended gauge, which is usually measured in stitches and rows per inch. By making a gauge swatch, you can confirm that your finished project will be the correct size and fit. If your gauge is off, you can adjust by using a different hook size to achieve the correct stitch count and row height. Gauge swatches are especially important for garments and fitted items.

The solution to not gauge swatching

1. Bite the bullet and make the swatch. It really only takes a few minutes and helps you learn your yarn, your tension, and if you can get through the pattern with the right size.

Pro tip: You don’t necessarily have to gauge swatch for things that aren’t size dependent. A great example would be my pillow patterns. They’re all made to be stuffed independently so if your pillows come out a little larger or smaller than the one I made, no biggie.

Mistake #9: Misreading patterns

Patterns typically come with introductory instructions that help you understand what the designer means in certain sections. You should be able to find things like what to do for your turning chains, how to do techniques, and pitfalls to watch out for. Jumping straight into the pattern without reading the beginning portions first can result in a lot of unnecessary confusion and frustration.

The solution to misreading patterns

1. Pay attention to key pattern instructions like how to do certain stitches, how to read the rows, and what to do afterward.
2. Reference back the pattern as you’re going, especially when doing specialty stitches.
3. If something doesn’t make sense, message the pattern designer. Often, they are available to provide you with helpful tips and tricks and will help you troubleshoot areas you’re getting stuck.

Pro tip: A great way to keep track of where you are in your pattern is to print it out and use a highlighter or pen to mark where you are. A pro PRO tip is put your printed pattern in a plastic sleeve and use a dry erase marker to check off your rows. That way you can reuse your printed pattern another time!

Mistake #10: Not blocking your work

When a crochet piece is finished, it can often be a little misshapen and not look exactly the way you or the designer intended. But this doesn’t necessarily mean you did something wrong. Your work could require blocking, which will help the fibers settle into their correct shape.

Blocking is the process of shaping and setting a finished crochet project by wetting, steaming, or spraying it with water, and then pinning it into the desired shape. Once blocked, the project dries in this form, helping to even out stitches, open up intricate patterns (like lace), and give the piece a polished, professional look. Blocking can also correct slight size differences and ensure that edges lie flat. The method of blocking used depends on the fiber content of the yarn—natural fibers, for example, tend to respond well to wet blocking, while synthetic fibers may require steam.

The solution to not blocking your work

1. Decide which method of blocking will work best based on your fiber type.
2. Set aside the time to block. Especially for wet blocking, the process can take a few days. Be patient, it’s worth it!

Pro tip: Not everything needs to be blocked. But if you’re feeling like the fibers need to relax a little bit, try it out!

Mistakes make us better

At the end of the day, we are all going to make mistakes… a lot of them. But the thing to remember, is most mistakes are solvable. Maybe you take a little of that forward into your life outside of fiber arts and just realize that with a little creative problem solving, you can still get to your end goal.