The dreaded tight crochet edge! Yikes! The beginner’s lament! Don’t rip it, FIX IT!
With a little know how, you can fix it! That is the subject of my latest video How to Fix a Tight Crochet Edge. Every crocheter needs this information. Save yourself a lot of heartache! Learn this super easy technique!
A friend of mine gave me eleven large crocheted rectangles. She said she never wanted to see them again. Why?
The stitches were even. The yarn was soft. Each was crocheted in a lovely pink, a delicate rose, deep rose, country blue or a variegated in those same shades.
Each rectangle was large enough to trim and turn into a lovely baby afghan. And I knew the local teen parenting charity would love to have a supply to reward young parents going through the program. I jumped at the opportunity to take this project on.
After all, I needed to just add borders and I love to crochet borders. They dress up simple crochet stitches so elegantly! Check out the four easy crochet picot edging patterns. Designed specifically to edge these blankets, I’ve already made my way through them all!
The Challenge
No matter how hard she tugged and stretched, the first row was way too tight! That poor foundation chain just wouldn’t budge another inch.
Having taught crochet for over 50 years, I have seen many a beginner and even some experienced, stressing out over the very same problem… the dreaded tight crochet edge.
Well, I like to teach crochet and there is nothing more disappointing to a beginner than to tear out, rip out and frog the project. They have come so far just to see their hard work wasted. NO WAY! I developed a very simple solution to fix a tight crochet edge!
The Solution
Cut it! Cut out the foundation chain and replace it with a new one at the right tension.
I know that doesn’t seem possible but it is! REALLY! I’ve done it a hundred times or more. And better yet, it is so easy! The trick is where to snip and how to replace the foundation chain. Watch the video! It is a lot easier to show you than try to explain it.
Happy crocheting!
