Why Does My Crochet Twist or Skew? Causes and Fixes

A crocheted piece that twists usually isn’t bad luck. It’s one of a handful of specific habits that show up gradually, over dozens of rows or rounds, until the lean is obvious. Here’s what actually causes it.

Rows lean into a parallelogram instead of a rectangle

Cause: the turning chain at the start of a row is being treated inconsistently: counted as the first stitch on some rows, skipped on others. If you count it as a stitch on some rows and skip it on others, the stitch count per row shifts slightly, and that shift compounds into a visible diagonal lean over enough rows.

Fix: decide once whether your turning chain counts as a stitch for your project’s stitch height (patterns usually specify this) and apply it the same way on every single row, including the first and last. If you’re not following a written pattern, pick a rule and write it on a sticky note next to your work until it’s automatic.

A joined circle or hat crown spirals up the side

Cause: this is often not a mistake at all. If you’re working in a spiral (never joining rounds with a slip stitch), the round’s start point naturally creeps sideways a little each round, which is completely normal for seamless amigurumi and hat crowns worked that way.

Fix: if the spiral drift bothers you visually, switch to joined rounds (slip stitch into the first stitch, chain up, continue) instead of a true spiral. You’ll get a small seam line, but no drift. If you’re already using joined rounds and still seeing drift, the actual cause is likely inconsistent chain-up counts between rounds rather than the join itself; keep the starting chain-up the same height every round.

The starting chain looks slanted before you’ve even worked into it

Cause: chains made under uneven tension twist on themselves, especially if the hook is turned slightly while chaining instead of kept flat. A twisted foundation chain carries that lean into every row built on top of it.

Fix: chain loosely and check that the little “v” of each chain stitch faces the same direction all the way along before you turn to work your first row. If the starting chain already looks twisted, it’s faster to redo it than to work around it. The lean won’t correct itself as you go.

Tension drifts tighter or looser across a single row

Cause: your grip naturally relaxes or tightens as you move across a row, especially on wide pieces like blankets, so one side ends up denser than the other. Repeated over many rows, that density difference shows up as a diagonal bias in the finished fabric.

Fix: take a short pause partway across long rows to consciously reset your grip rather than crocheting a whole blanket in one continuous motion. Blocking (wetting or steaming the finished piece and pinning it to the correct shape while it dries) also corrects mild bias, though it won’t fix a piece that’s severely skewed.

One quick check catches it early

Lay your work flat on a table every 10–15 rows and look at it from directly above, not at an angle in your lap. A slight lean is much easier to fix after 10 rows than after 100.