Why Is My Crochet Getting Smaller (or Wider)? The Turning Chain Problem
A piece that narrows is losing a stitch at the ends of rows; one that widens is gaining one. Nine times in ten it's the turning chain: working into it when it doesn't count, or missing the last stitch hidden under it.
Pattern at a glance
US terms- Skill level
- Beginner
- Time
- 5 minutes
You'll need
- Your project
- 2 stitch markers
In this post
Crochet gets smaller when you lose a stitch at the start or end of a row, and wider when you gain one. The cause is almost always the turning chain. If you skip the first stitch when the chain doesn't count, or miss the last stitch (it hides under the previous row's turning chain), you lose one. If you work into the turning chain when it doesn't count, you gain one. One stitch a row adds up fast.
The rest of this post is just below — free, as always.
Does the turning chain count?
| Stitch | Turning chain | Counts as a stitch? | First stitch goes… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single crochet | Ch 1 | No | Into the first stitch |
| Half double crochet | Ch 2 | Usually no (check the pattern) | Into the first stitch |
| Double crochet | Ch 3 | Usually yes | Into the second stitch; last stitch into the top of the ch-3 |
| Treble crochet | Ch 4 | Usually yes | Into the second stitch |
The pattern's notes always win: "ch 2 (does not count as a stitch)" or "ch 3 (counts as dc)".
How to stop it
- Count now: Count the last row. If it's off, frog back to the last row with the right count.
- Mark both ends: Put a marker in the first stitch and in the last stitch of the row you're about to work into. Move them up every row.
- Find the last stitch: At the end of a row, look under the turning chain of the row below — the last stitch is tucked there. Work into it.
- Don't work into a non-counting chain: In single crochet, the ch 1 is just a lift; skip it.
- Count every 4–5 rows until it's automatic.
In the round
In rounds, a growing or shrinking count usually happens at the join: slip-stitching into the wrong stitch, or working into the slip stitch itself. Keep a marker in the first stitch of each round. See crocheting in the round.
Related fixes: blanket curving or slanting, how to count stitches and how to start the second row.
Common questions
Why is my crochet getting narrower?
You're missing a stitch at one end of the row — usually the last stitch, hidden under the turning chain. Mark the last stitch so you always work into it.
Why is my crochet getting wider?
You're adding a stitch, usually by working into a turning chain that doesn't count as a stitch, or working two stitches into the first stitch.
Can I fix it without starting over?
Yes. Pull out the rows back to where the count was right, put the loop back on the hook and continue, counting as you go.
Shrinking or growing — which was yours? 📏
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