LEARNING TO CROCHET - THE DIAGONAL BOX STITCH - page 2

The Diagonal Box Stitch
©2003 Sandra Petit, http://www.crochetcabana.com
Please click on thumbnails to view larger image.

If you are returning to Color A and not making any more color changes, go on to Row 6 now. If you want to continue working two rows using two colors, you have a decision to make. You can work the decrease here so your new color won't show when you make the decrease (in which case go to Row 7), or if the color showing through doesn't bother you, you can continue with the same color for Row 6 and make your color change in row 7. I discuss this in more detail in row 7.

Row 6: Chain 6, dc in chains 4, 5, 6, flip the piece up (sorry the picture is a little bit blurry), *join with a sl st, ch 3, 3 dc in same space* repeat from * to * four times. Row 6 completed.

Note: If you are using the same color throughout, skip the instructions in teal below. If you are changing colors every 2 rows, read the instructions in teal before working row 7.

Special Note for changing colors:
If you are working two colors, changing every two rows, and carrying your yarn up the side, you will have a problem on the decrease row with the new color showing through the slip stitches. Originally I suggested slip stitching over in the old color and then making the change to your new color. However, I now realize if you are carrying your yarn, this will cause the yarn to cross your work.

There are a few solutions to this though none are totally satisfactory.

One is working sc instead of sl st for your decrease. Sc OVER your new color strand so it doesn't show (at least not much) and then continue with the pattern as is. Here's what you do exactly. ch 1, turn, lay your new color in front of your first stitch, insert hook under the strand of your new color, yo with your old color, pull through, complete sc. Work a sc in each of the next 2 sts, working over your new color strand. Then, insert hook under ch-3, yo with NEW color, pull through, continue to complete sl st. ch 3, 3 dc with  new color and continue pattern. However, when you finish your two rows in that color, and you get to the end, you will again have to finagle the old and new yarn to hide it. This is not impossible to do, but it is not easy either. Since you are working diagonally, eventually the end of your row will make it too difficult to carry that yarn, so you will have to cut it anyway to change colors.

A second alternative is to make your decrease before your color change. In other words, work row 5 in your old color and decrease at row 6 still using the old color Then change colors on the increase, rather than the decrease. At some point you will be decreasing at both ends, so the problem will not disappear, but it will be delayed.

A third alternative is to cut your yarn (leaving at least 6" for sewing in later) and join with a slip stitch under the ch-3, completely skipping the slip stitches.

Row 7 (Decrease Row): This will be our first DECREASE row. Instead of chaining 6 here as we normally would to increase, we're going to keep the width of our piece, working evenly at that end, and increasing the length of our piece. You may want to mark this end as the width to prevent confusion since you will continue to flip work up as you increase along the length.

There are two procedures you can use for decreasing. The one pictured is this first one:
ch 1, turn (not flip - I said TURN just as you normally do in crochet - look at the pic), sl st in next 3 dc, sl st under ch-3 (essentially this looks like the last dc of your box - you're slip stitching here to bring yourself to the end of the box so you'll be in the right place to create your next box), ch- 3, 3 dc in same space. Row 7 decrease begun.

*join with a sl st under ch-3 loop, ch 3, 3 dc in same space*, repeat from * to * to end of row

Alternate method:
Another way of decreasing is rather than chaining 1 and slip stitching to the right spot, you would ch 3, then sl st under ch-3 loop of your box (same spot as in the above method). The ch-3 will just lie on the side of the box.

Row 8: Now we want to increase our length, so we're going to increase once again. Ch 6, dc in chains 4, 5, and 6. Flip. Insert hook under ch-3 of box in previous row, sl st, ch 3, 3 dc in same space. Continue in pattern stitch (*join with a sl st under ch-3 loop, ch 3, 3 dc in same space*) to end of row, join with sl st to last box. (This will be the second box from the end of your piece. (Note: If you want a SQUARE piece, then don't increase the length. But how many people do you know who are square? **chuckle** Not that kind of square. For an afghan, I'd suggest going rectangle to get those long legs nice and toasty.)

Now we're going to maintain our width, so we don't want to increase here. We're going to do a decrease row. How do we do that? Anyone remember? Righto. You in the teal sweater. Good job.

Row 9 (Decrease row): Ch 1, turn, sl st in next 3 dc, sl st under ch-3 of box in previous row, ch 3, 3 dc, and so on. I know you get the picture by this time. You'll continue in pattern to the end of the row.

One comment. As long as you're maintaining your length, don't forget to make that last box at the top of the row. It's easy to look at it and forget that you need that top box.

Okay, let's say you finish Row 9 and you're thinking, I'm tired of this stitch. You want to level off and start closing in your rectangle. (This is approximately 7 inches) So you want to start decreasing at both ends, rather than only at the width end. You do the decrease the same way. Ch 1, turn, sl st in each of the 3 dc and under the ch-3.

Note: If you forget what row you're working, just count the boxes on the length side. That will work until you start decreasing at both ends. **wink**

Row 10: Do a decrease row (like Row 9) until you have no more boxes to  make. Then join with a sl st. Here's a couple pics to judge if you're moving in the right direction. When you completed that last box, finish off and sew in miscellaneous ends. UNLESS you want to do a border in the same color. See below.

Whew! **wiping brow** Y'all did a superb job there. That's a difficult stitch to master.

Wait. Wait. Before you head out to The Outback or comparable restaurant to reward your success - I forgot something. One thing about this stitch is that it doesn't give a very nice edging - plus you have that thread you carried up the side to cover. You should add a border round the thing to give it a nicely finished look. You can do a border in the same color or a contrasting color or a totally whacked way out there color. It's up to you. I might mention that those slip stitches are a trifle difficult to wiggle your hook into. If this gives you trouble, just use a smaller hook to work your way through and continue with the regular hook. Play around with the stitching of the border, to keep the rectangle flat and still look nice. Rather than going under the ch-3 loops, you might consider going through them so you won't have that gaping hole along the edge.

If you've finished off and are starting with a new color, your first question may be "what's the right side and what's the wrong side". Well, I'm not rightly sure if there really is a right or wrong side, but you can tell where you worked your first row by just looking at your bottom corner.

If you're making an afghan, I suggest doing a simple single crochet (or double crochet) round all around the piece, and then putting the border of your choice on top of that.

Here's a pic of a completed square, bordered in a single round of single crochet.

Since we're talking about sizing...if you're making an afghan you need to know where to start doing the decrease on both ends. So how do you tell when the width is the width you want it to be? Remember you will not start doing the decrease until you've got the width to the right size. What you do is measure, of course. You have to measure along the side where you started your first box. On the afghan I made it was 48" wide.

If you're interested in working this stitch in straight rows, I have a tutorial on that also.

12/15/2008


 

The buttons above were my first at the Cabana. I keep them for sentimental reasons. :-)

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