Crochet Straight, Flat, and Square

You finish the row, lay your work down, and there it is again: an edge that slants, a blanket that is somehow wider at the top than the bottom, a granny square that looks more like a circle, a coaster that has quietly turned into a bowl. So you rip it out, start over, and make the same mistake, or you post a photo and wait for strangers to tell you what went wrong. Crochet Straight, Flat, and Square teaches you to read your own stitches and find the cause yourself. With a simple five-step diagnosis, a few stitch markers, and a tape measure, you will learn to spot the exact row where things went wrong, decide whether to fix it or frog it, and stop the problem from coming back on the next project. This is not another learn-to-crochet stitch guide or a pattern collection. Those books show you how to make a stitch; this one shows you what to do when the finished piece does not look like the picture. It is written for beginners and self-taught crocheters who learned from videos, and for returners picking up a hook after years away. Inside, you'll learn: How to read the parts of a stitch and count stitches and rows without guessing A five-step diagnosis that pinpoints the row and the cause of almost any wonky piece Turning-chain rules and a stitch-marker habit that keep edges straight How to fix tension that is too tight, too loose, or different every day, without hurting your hands Why a project comes out far bigger or smaller than the pattern, including US versus UK terms and hook sizes that do not match How to rescue blankets that grow wider, shrink, or end up too long and not wide enough Granny squares that stay square, and joins that lie flat instead of looking like a waffle Fixes for curling rows, cupped or ruffled circles, spirals, and amigurumi holes, plus the blocking and borders that finish the job You do not need more talent or a fancier hook. You need to know what to look at. Pick up the piece you were about to rip out, turn to Chapter 1, and find out what it has been trying to tell you.

Imad Muratspahic is an independent author of practical how-to guides, technical handbooks, history and fiction. The books aim to be clear, honest and useful from the first page.