I'm sure I'm doing something wrong, could you help?

15 years ago

I'm a regular over in the cooking forum, but I have a question regarding my first crochet project. I'm hoping you can help me. I'm working on the Lion crochet along sampler afghan and I've got the first two sets of blocks done, but now I'm trying to get the cluster stitch blocks completed. I've watched videos of how to do cluster stitches online, read the primer from lion and still I'm having issues.

The loops at the top of the double crochets in each cluster seem to be really long and the stitches looked leaned over. Is this what it's supposed to look like? I'm having a hard time keeping tension on all the loops and not collapsing the chain ahead of each cluster (which makes doing the row of single crochets after each cluster row very difficult). When I was working on the blocks with simple rows of double crochets, I was able to keep tension on the loops and keep the rows relatively compact. I'm just not able to do that with the cluster stitches.

Maybe I'm over analyzing, but this just doesn't seem right. Any tips or tricks on how to make cluster stitches would be greatly appreciated.

I'm not sure of this forum's rules about posting links, but google comes up with the afghan if you want to look at it. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Thank you all!

Bri

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Comments (3)

donna_loomis
15 years ago
Bri, if I am understanding you correctly, I wouldn't worry about the bit of slant you are getting with the cluster stitches. They do sort of lean to the left. It might help if the loop you pull through the last bunch of loops to make the cluster come together is a little loose - make it a teensy bit larger than you usually do. When you come back on the next row it will be easier to make your stitch into it. If this is not what your problem is, can you be more specific?
gracie01 zone5 SW of Chicago
15 years ago
When you pull through all 4 loops, before the next chain stitch, are you pulling this rather tight? It should look sort of like a "puff", not loose. Then keeping your last loop on your hook rather loose, make your ch stitch. Does this help?
bri29
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you both for your help. I will try making the gathering loop a littler larger, that may help fan out the loops at the top of each double crochet and make it look better. I watched one video that suggested using one relatively tight chain to secure and another to count as your "chain one" between clusters. I think it made the leaned over look even more pronounced. I'll ditch the extra securing chain and see where that takes me.

Thank you again!
Bri