Newbie Newsday ~ How To Get Rid Of Those Annoying Gaps In Your Work

Scroll to the bottom of the post to watch a video on this technique.

If you’ve ever worked any project in any stitch other than single crochet, you’ll know what gaps I’m talking about.

When you start each new row of a crochet project, you will perform a “turning chain”.

For example, if your project is in double crochet, the normal turning chain will be a chain 3. You make this turning chain so your row will have the proper starting height it needs to keep the entire row even. If you leave it out and just start double crocheting, your first stitch will be squashed down and not look the same as the rest.

However, that chain 3 isn’t actually worked into the first stitch, or any stitch for that matter. Instead, it sits just to the right of your first stitch. Then as normal crochet goes, you make your first double crochet in the stitch after (the 2nd stitch of the row) and you end up with this gap that results from the distance of the chain 3 to your first stitch.

One way some people eliminate this gap is to not count the chain 3 as your first stitch. and then go ahead and make the chain 3

They will CH 3 and double crochet in the first stitch of the row. But again, the result is not great. Now you get a bump every other row from the chain 3 being forced to stick out from the stitch that was made in the first stitch space.

There is a fix for both of these problems. This technique can be substituted whenever you want and for any stitch you want. The result will be a nice flat edge project with no gaps.

This technique can be substituted whenever you want and for any stitch you want (above a single crochet). The result will be a nice flat edge project with no gaps.

This technique is super simple and is the same for any stitch you use it for.

All you will simply do instead of making your normal turning chain, is make a super extended single chain. Let me show you.

Your first step in this technique is to take the loop on your hook and pull it out to the height of the stitch you are making. Don’t worry if it’s not the exact same height, somewhere in the ballpark will be good enough.

But, it is better to make it a little shorter than taller than the stitch you are making. This will keep it more hidden and less likely to stick out.

Next, secure this long loop by making a chain stitch at the top.

Now you have a skinny “turning chain” that will sit right next to the double crochet you will make in the first stitch.

Whether the project says that the turning chain counts as a stitch or not, when using this technique, you will make the skinny turning chain and a stitch in the first stitch you come to. That means you don’t count the skinny turning chain as a stitch. In other words, it will be ignored when counting stitches.

Now your project will have nice edges and no gaps!

Check out the video to see the technique in action.

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