Why is My Crochet Blanket Not Square?

When working on a crochet blanket, it can be frustrating when it isn’t turning out as perfectly square as you’d like. There could be a variety of reasons as to why your crochet blanket is not forming a perfect square or rectangular shape. Understanding these causes can help you correct and, in future, prevent the issue.

*This Jora Blanket is worked in rows. Crocheting with a consistent tension is crucial for obtaining square corners.*

Common Causes of Non-square Crochet Blankets and Tips for Preventing Them

Tension Inconsistencies

Probably the most common reason for crochet blankets not being square is inconsistent tension. Tension simply means how tightly or loosely you hold the yarn and make your stitches while crocheting. Changes in tension lead to changes in stitch size, which result in uneven edges and a non-square blanket.

Here are some tips for maintaining consistent tension and avoiding this issue:

Be aware of your grip on the crochet hook and yarn – avoid gripping too tightly or too loosely. Try to keep it the same throughout your project.
If you find a particular stitch challenging, practise it separately until you are more comfortable and have found your rhythm with it.
Take breaks during your project to relax your hands and avoid strain, which can impact your tension.
Check your work from time to time to ensure your tension remains consistent and adjust it if needed.
If possible, try to crochet in the same location or position each time you work on your blanket. Moving to different locations with a change in your position or posture can result in a change in tension.

Miscounted Stitches

Miscounting stitches is another common reason for blankets not working up square. This occurs when you accidentally add or skip stitches in a row or round.

Some tips to avoid miscounted stitches include:

Count your stitches at the end of each row or round to ensure accuracy. Many patterns will specify how many stitches you should have for each row or round.
Use a stitch marker to indicate the first stitch of each row and move the marker up as you complete each row. This helps to ensure correct placement of the final stitch of the next row.
Take note of whether any starting or turning chains count as stitches or not.

Varying Stitches

If a blanket involves sections with different stitch types, even if the stitch count per row is the same, the difference in the type of stitch can result in different stitch sizes and longer or shorter rows.

If you notice that one stitch type is working up wider or narrower than the rest of your blanket, try going down or up a hook size or two to decrease or increase the size of your stitches, as needed.

Morven Crochet Blanket — *This Morven Blanket is worked in rows and different sections have different stitches*. *Adjusting the hook size for different sections helps to achieve square corners.*

Selecting the Right Tools and Materials

Selecting the right tools and materials before you start can also help with ensuring your crochet blanket has a perfectly square shape. In this section, we’ll discuss the importance of understanding gauge, choosing the appropriate yarn, and selecting suitable crochet hooks.

Understanding Gauge

Gauge refers to the number of stitches and rows in a specific measurement, usually 4 inches or 10 centimetres. Most patterns will specify a particular gauge for the project. To help ensure your blanket is square try to ensure you are working to the stated gauge. You can do this by:

Making a gauge swatch to check your tension before starting the project.
Adjusting your crochet tension or hook size if necessary until you meet the required gauge.

Choosing Appropriate Yarn

The type of yarn you choose can also affect the squareness of your blanket. Consider the following factors when selecting yarn:

Fibre Content

Different fibres have varying levels of elasticity, which can affect the shape of your blanket.

If you choose a more elastic fibre such as wool then there will be more stretch to it. This can help with blocking it to a required shape and squareness after completion. However, it can also mean that the blanket can sometimes appear less square if certain parts stretch more than other (e.g. due to how the blanket is draped or arranged).

On the other hand, if you choose a less elastic fibre such as cotton, the issue of the blanket stretching out of shape should not arise. However, it can be harder to adjust the final shape and squareness of blankets made with cotton yarn by blocking them.

Weight/Thickness

Using an inconsistent yarn weight may lead to uneven squareness. This is because if the thickness of the yarn used varies across a blanket, it will result in different stitch sizes and a non-square blanket.

If you’re using more than one yarn in your project, try to make sure that they are all the same type. For example, even if two yarns are both labelled as being “DK” weight, there can still be slight variations in thickness between manufacturers. If you use all yarn from the same range then this can help to ensure consistent thickness and a square blanket.

big fish little fish tapestry crochet blanket — *The Big Fish Little Fish Blanket uses lots of different coloured yarns. Making sure they are all from the range yarn range helps to ensure the blanket is square.*

Selecting Suitable Crochet Hooks

Finally, choosing the right crochet hook for your project is important to achieve an even gauge and maintain the squareness of your blanket. Keep the following points in mind when deciding which hook to use:

Select a hook size that complements the yarn’s weight. Most yarns should have a recommended hook size on the ball band. Using that hook size, or one close to it, should help to ensure that your stiches can be made easily and at a consistent size throughout your project.
Consider ergonomic or comfort-grip hooks to help with even tension. If you are not comfortable holding your crochet hook then your tension may vary. Try using different hooks with different grips to find the one that you can crochet most comfortably with.
Take note of what material the hook is made of (e.g., aluminium, bamboo, or plastic) as it can impact how the yarn glides over the hook and, as a result, the gauge. If you find the yarn is not flowing smoothly over the hook, try using a hook made of a different material to see if it glides more smoothly over it.

Checking Your Blanket is Square as You Crochet

Here are five tips to keep your blanket square as you make it:

Regularly measure your blanket’s sides to confirm it’s remaining square.
Take note of any deviations from the intended shape.
Check if the stitch count per row or round is correct.
Adjust your stitches, tension and/or hook size as needed to correct the shape.
Don’t be afraid to frog back some of your work to correct any deviations in row or round length or stitch count.

Block Your Blanket

When your project is completed, blocking it can help a lot with achieving a lovely square finish to the corners. Blocking is a technique used to shape crocheted items to their desired shape and dimensions. Applying proper blocking techniques can help in making your crochet blanket square.

Here’s a brief guide to wet blocking:

Lightly dampen your finished blanket with water. You could do this with a spray bottle or soak your blanket in a bath and then gently squeeze it between towels to get rid of excess moisture.
Lay it out on a flat surface, like a blocking mat, mattress or clean towel.
Gently stretch and shape the blanket, ensuring that the edges and corners are aligned.
Secure the blanket with rust-proof pins, if needed.
Leave your blanket to dry in a well-ventilated area.

Alternatively, for synthetic yarns, you can steam block your blanket. This is similar to wet blocking but you use steam from an iron to dampen your blanket and do not wet it first. Here’s an overview of the steam blocking technique:

Lay your blanket out on a flat surface, like a blocking mat, mattress or clean towel.
Gently stretch and shape the blanket, ensuring that the edges and corners are aligned.
Secure the blanket with rust-proof pins, if needed.
Use an iron to gently steam your blanket, especially around the corners and edges. Hold the iron close to the blanket but make sure it does not touch it.
Leave your blanket to dry in a well-ventilated area.