Unleash your inner artist when you learn how to adjust crochet patterns to your liking. Keep reading for my step-by-step process on achieving your desired dimensions in crochet!
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It happens to the best of us: you’re scrolling on Pinterest, and you find the cutest baby blanket pattern, but you’re on the hunt for a throw blanket project. I suppose you’ll have to keep looking and hope you come across a pattern that fits your exact needs, right? Actually, there’s a solution, and it’s much easier than you think.
Sometimes, you want a longer scarf, a larger blanket, or a smaller washcloth. That’s where pattern adjustments come in. With a little bit of math and some keen pattern reading, you can adjust nearly any flat crochet pattern into the dimensions of your dreams.
Step 1: Finding the Stitch Repeat
The first step in adjusting the dimensions of crochet fabric is to find the Stitch Repeat in a pattern. The Stitch Repeat is the set of instructions repeated across the row.
Let’s start with an example from my Molly Waffle Blanket. It uses the Waffle Stith to create an oversized throw blanket.
In Row 2, we can see a set of instructions that start with an asterisk (*) and end with a semicolon (;). These instructions are repeated across the row, with a few stitches before and a few stitches after.
The repeat is 3 total stitches – two double crochet stitches and one front post double crochet. But don’t forget about those additional stitches! We have a double crochet and a front post double crochet before the repeat; then, there’s a double crochet after the repeat. This leaves us with a stitch multiple of 3 + 3 (three for the stitches inside the repeat and an additional three for the remaining stitches). When starting your project, you’ll make a multiple of 3 chains to your desired length, then add 3 more chains for the extra stitches, and 1 additional chain for turning.
Step 2: Adjusting The Length and Width
To Swatch or Not to Swatch
When it’s time to determine the number of stitches and rows needed for your adapted pattern, we need to work from a finished gauge pulled from a swatch. The gauge is the number of stitches and rows inside a measurement, and a swatch is a piece of crocheted fabric. You can use a rigid ruler to calculate the gauge from a swatch.
But, do you even need to make a swatch? If you’re adjusting a published pattern, the designer most likely included the gauge, and it’s up to you as the maker to meet that gauge if you want your finished fabric to mimic the original. Many things can impact your tension and make it different from the designer’s gauge – personal tension, hook material, substituting the yarn, etc. Just to be sure, I recommend making a gauge swatch on your own and using that to make adjustments rather than depending on the designer’s gauge.
Adjusting the Length
Let’s return to the Molly Waffle Blanket. According to the pattern, the gauge is 6″ = 12 stitches x 8 rows in the waffle pattern. Let’s assume that you were able to hit gauge when you made your swatch, so we can use the designer’s gauge this time around.
To adjust the length, we need to look at the number of rows. In my example, I want to modify this pattern to a baby blanket size, approximately 35 inches wide by 40 inches long. Based on this gauge, we know that 6″ = 8 rows, and the pattern ends with an odd number of rows. But how many rows will it take to reach 40 inches? Please meet my friend Algebra 🙂
The Porportion Formula says that a/b = c/d. We can use that formula to determine how many rows are needed based on the gauge we reached.
- 1 // This is the Proportion Formula. In our case, the number of rows and inches in the gauge will be proportionate to the number of rows and inches in our final project.
- 2 // Input your data. In our case, 6 inches (A) gives us 8 rows (B). We must determine how many rows (D) we’ll need to achieve 40 inches long (C). When entering your data, ensure that like values are on the same side of the line — inches are above, and rows are below.
- 3 // Here’s the same formula written in a line to make it easier to calculate.
- 4 // First, we multiply B by C.
- 5 // Then, we divide the result by A.
- 6 // Our final number is a fraction. We know that our pattern ends on an odd number of rows, so round to the closest odd number. This is the final number of rows that should get you to your desired length.
Adjusting the Width
Now that we know how many rows are needed to reach our desired length, let’s find the stitch count required to achieve our desired width. We are looking for a width of around 35 inches.
- 1 // This is the Proportion Formula. In our case, the number of stitches and inches in the gauge will be proportionate to the number of stitches and inches in our final project.
- 2 // Input your data. In our case, 6 inches (A) gives us 12 stitches (B). We need to determine how many stitches (D) we’ll need to achieve 35 inches wide (C).
- 3 // Here’s the same formula written in a line to make it easier to calculate.
- 4 // First, we multiply B by C.
- 5 // Then, we divide the result by A.
- 6 // Our final number is 70. But we know our stitch multiple is 3 + 3. Let’s determine how many chains are needed for our first row.
- 7 // First, subtract the second number in your stitch multiple. In our case, that is 3. Then, find the closest correct multiple of the remaining number. We need a multiple of 3. The multiples of 3 closest to 67 are 66 and 69. This means our blanket may be slightly narrower or wider than the desired measurement. Determine which direction you want to go in THEN be sure to add the 3 back in. If we go with the larger number, this gives us 72 stitches for approximately 35 inches wide. You’ll need to add 1 additional chain for turning.
Give it a Try!
Being able to adjust patterns is an invaluable skill as a crocheter. It allows you to customize just about any project and encourages you to flex your creative muscles to make unique designs. Try it on your next WIP (work in progress) and prepare to amaze yourself!
What projects will you use your new skills on? Tell me all about it in the comments!
Try adjusting these popular free crochet patterns: