Whether it’s been a while since you last crocheted, you’re a beginner, or you’re a crocheting veteran. There are a few mistakes that can happen to the best of us. So, I give you 5 common crochet mistakes and how to fix them!

1. Adding or missing stitches

It happens to the best of us. We think that we’re doing well on a project and then we realize that we have either too many or too few stitches in our row. How to tell the difference? If your work is getting wider than you’re adding stitches somewhere. If your work is getting smaller then you’ve been skipping stitches.

The best way to fix this issue is to count your stitches at the end of each row. I know it seems like a lot, but trust me it’s better than being 5 rows in when you realize your mistake.

2. Not counting your rows

This can be just as much trouble as not counting your stitches. If you’re making a pattern and you get distracted then you could easily make too many or too few rows. So, to save yourself from frogging your valuable time… count your rows!

If there’s a lot of them then I find it handy to use a stitch marker to help you keep count. I recently made a blanket with over 150 rows and I marked every 25 rows with a stitch marker. This made it so I just had to count from the last marker to keep track.

3. Not using the right hook size

If you’re working on a pattern and they recommend a certain hook size, then that’s the one you should use. If you think that one size up or down won’t make a difference I can assure you it does. Use the hook the pattern recommends if you want it to look the same as the picture.

If you’ve done a gauge swatch and you went up or down a size to reach the right gauge. You’re doing the right thing. This is specifically if you’re just using a different hook without checking to make sure it will give you the right result.

4. Using a different yarn weight than the pattern says

This is similar to using the wrong hook size. Using a different weight of yarn than recommended can throw off the whole project by making it too big or too small. It can especially cause issues in garments where the pattern designer had a certain drape or flow in mind with the pattern.

If you do decide to use a different weight of yarn make sure you make a swatch to see if it’s going to give you the result you want.

5. Confusing US and UK terms

There is nothing worse than working on a project only for it to come out all wrong… and one of the main culprits is not checking to see if the pattern is in US or UK terms. There is a large difference between. In US terms we call it a single crochet, the same stitch in UK terms is called a double crochet. The double crochet is a completely different stitch in US terms so this can make a huge impact on your project. So.. make sure you check the terms that the pattern was written in before you start.

I got this conversion chart from: https://www.crochet365knittoo.com/us-uk-stitch-conversion-guide/ So, make sure you check her out!

Crocheting in one loop only

When you’re first staring out, or if it’s been a while since you last crocheted, it can be temping to only grab one loop while you work. This is a great technique if you mean to do it, but it’s not how most patterns are written. This is an easy fix! Simply make sure that you have both of the top loops on your hook at the start of each stitch.

Here are some of my other crochet articles

• How To Crochet A Ball, So It’s Perfectly Round Every Time!
• One Simple Trick To Make Your Crochet Neater, How To Crochet Into The Back Bone
• 5 Easy Crochet Tips For Absolute Beginners, You Can Do It!
• Crochet Therapy For Anxiety

I hope you liked this article on 5 Common Crochet Mistakes And How To Fix Them and found it helpful! If it was, please show your support by liking this post and following my blog, so you’re alerted when ever I make a new one. You can also sign up for The Crocheting Owl Monthly Newsletter for free patterns, updates, yarny bonuses and more!