Stitchboard Admin message #2
Re: Vertical and horizontal stitches
July 1, 2014 at 10:55:34 PM  (in response to Kittyzcool message #1)
 
Hi...excellent question! 

The horizontal and Tunisian stitch is less about the name of the stitch than it is about your particular gauge.  That's why the Tunisian area of the Free Pattern Wizard specifically talks about checking your gauge.  What would be a horizontal stitch (e.g., wider horizontally) for me might be more of a vertical stitch (e.g., taller, rather than wider) for you.

Your gauge is the absolute, critical key to this.  LOL, I know...nobody likes crocheting swatches...what a pain!  But your results are vital to your gauge swatch.  If you work a piece and find your stitches are wider horizontally, but you've chosen a vertical stitch, your image will end up distorted.  And vice versa.

What we've personally discovered - through swatching - is that some stitches run horizontally, some run vertically (and a tiny few run square), and then if you use a different size hook, that can change it completely.

Also, what works one way for me may be completely different from the way it works for you, depending on yarn size, hook size and tension, since we all work differently.

So for anything graphics-related with crochet, you must always take gauge into account first.  Until you know your gauge, until you know if your stitch is wider horizontally or taller vertically, you'll only be guessing at best and may unfortunately end up with a distorted image if you don't take the time to check your gauge.

It's similar to making a garment.  If you're making a sweater or something else and you don't do a gauge swatch, your sweater may end up being too wide, too narrow, too short or too long and not fit the person for whom it's intended!  Sigh, and that's why we swatch, argh.

Hope that helps! 

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