Why Is My Crochet Blanket Curving or Slanting? (And How to Straighten It)
A blanket that bends like a banana, leans to one side or turns into a trapezoid has one of three problems: a tight starting chain, stitches lost or gained at one edge, or a twist from how you turn. Here is how to tell which, and fix it.
Pattern at a glance
US terms- Skill level
- Beginner
- Time
- 10 minutes to diagnose
You'll need
- Your blanket
- Stitch markers
- Tape measure
In this post
A crochet blanket curves when its bottom edge is shorter than the rows above it, and slants when one side has fewer stitches than the other. The bottom-edge curve (a "banana" shape) comes from a tight foundation chain. The slant comes from losing or adding a stitch at the same edge every few rows. A diagonal twist comes from always turning the same way in some stitches. Lay the blanket flat and look at its shape to find which one you have.
The rest of this post is just below — free, as always.
Read the shape
| Shape | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom edge curves up (banana) | Tight foundation chain | Bigger hook for the chain, or foundation stitches |
| Narrower at the top (trapezoid) | Losing stitches at row ends | Count; mark first and last stitch |
| Wider at the top | Adding stitches at row ends | Don't work into the turning chain when it doesn't count |
| Leans to one side (parallelogram) | Stitches lean the same way every row | Block it square; turn every row |
| Wavy sides | Uneven tension at the edges | See straight edges |
How to straighten it
- Count two rows: Count the stitches in your last row and in a row near the start. If they differ, you've found the problem — frog back to where the count changed.
- Mark the edges: Put a stitch marker in the first and the last stitch of every row. Before turning, make sure you worked into the marked stitch.
- Know your turning chain: In single crochet, ch 1 doesn't count — work into the first stitch. In double crochet, ch 3 usually counts as the first stitch — skip the first stitch and work the last one into the top of the turning chain.
- For a banana curve: If it's mild, block it out. If it's strong, restart with a chain made on a hook two sizes bigger.
- Block square: Wet the blanket, pin it to a rectangle using a measuring tape, and let it dry. This fixes slight leaning — see how to block crochet.
Corner-to-corner and granny blankets
C2C blankets lean if you increase or decrease on the wrong rows — count the blocks along each edge. Granny square blankets ripple if individual squares are different sizes; block every square to the same size before joining (joining granny squares).
New to blankets? Start with the beginner blanket and the blanket sizes chart.
Common questions
Why is my crochet blanket getting narrower?
You're losing a stitch at the ends of rows — usually by missing the last stitch, which hides under the turning chain. Count every few rows and mark the last stitch.
Can you fix a slanted crochet blanket without frogging?
A slight slant can be blocked square. A big one, caused by a changing stitch count, has to be frogged back to the row where the count changed.
Why does my blanket curve at the bottom?
The foundation chain is tighter than the rows. Make the chain with a larger hook, or use foundation single or double crochet.
Banana, trapezoid or lean — which shape was yours? 📐
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