I just learned crochet maybe about a week ago. I am trying to make squares, but I notice that I end up with more of a trapezoid shape when I get the work about 4-6 inches or so. What am I doing wrong? I was mostly using double crochet but when I tried to do the more complicated stitches I still ended up with a bigger end than what i began with. As strange as it sounds, how do I make sure I make a perfect square?

You are probably crocheting extra times. To keep your piece square, you must only do the same number of stitches that the last row had. The chain row is not all that important, usually it’s a bit stretchy so it will somewhat conform to the length of your piece. You might be chaining too tightly though; if the chain is really tight, it will pull the bottom of the first row extra tight.

One place you are adding extra stitches might be the beginning of each row. With DC you are supposed to chain 2 and then make your stitch in the 2nd stitch from the hook. To make sure you are getting the right number, try to count them every time, and see where your extra ones are coming from.

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