Right Side or Wrong Side
What is the right side or wrong side of a crochet project? In simple terms, it’s the side you like best, or if you are following a pattern, the designer tells you in the pattern directions.
So why are there different sides to crocheted fabric? It helps to know that crochet stitches have one look on the front side as you work them and look different on the backside. Generally, when working in the round without turning, I call that the right side of the fabric. The back side of the stitches is the wrong side of the fabric.
You can see this clearly in the square of this crocheted blanket. I worked all the squares in the round without turning. The photo on the left is on the right side of the square. The image on the right is on the wrong side of the square. (Just in case you are curious about the pattern. I used Supernova Square Design by Chris Simon. You can find my project page on Ravelry here.)
Right Side - Shows the front side of all the stitches.
Wrong Side - Shows the back side of all the stitches.
The square on the left looks smoother than the square on the right. The square on the right has a little more texture to it. I like the smoother side better.
When you turn your work on each row, you have both the front and back sides of the stitches on both sides of the fabric. It’s observable in the simple double crochet swatch on the right. The top rectangle frames the front side of the stitches, so what you see as you make the double crochet stitches. The front side of the stitches looks smoother. The larger rectangle frames the backside of the stitches, which look bumpier and have more texture. So a simple fabric of double crochet stitches is reversible.
Here’s another design I’m working on that includes some fun textured stitches by working into the back loop of the stitches of the row below on the right side of the fabric.
This side shows the right side of the fabric and the front side of the stitches of the double crochet and triple crochet rows.
This side shows the wrong side of the fabric and the backside of the double crochet and triple rows.
Knowing that crochet stitches have a side. I’ve incorporated single crochet rows that I’m working on the wrong side rows, so my front side of the double and triple crochet stitches rows are always on the right side of the fabric. The wrong side of the fabric shows the backside of those stitches.
Why do I bring this up? Because I think about how crochet stitches are made for my designs. So when designing The Most Piocot Shawl, I wanted a textured shawl combined with Lacey-like feel. I wanted the post stitches to be a visible textured element on the right side of the fabric. The double crochet rows are also on the right side of the fabric so you see the front side of the stitches.
The post stitches offer a relief texture. The double crochet rows are worked on the right side of the fabric so you see front side of the stitches.
If you wear it this way, you see the back side of the double crochet stitches, and the post stitches recede to the background.
When you wrap the shawl around your neck with the post stitches visible I think its more dynamic.
Post Stitches are visible and you see the smoother front side of the double crochet stitches.
Post Stitches recede, and you see the backside of the double crochet stitches.
I have my goal as a designer. However, you get to decide the right side for you!
The Most Picot shawl pattern will be for sale here on my website and Ravelry on April 10th! It will also be available for sale through your local yarn store through Ravelry. The shawl pattern will sell for $7.00 and will be on sale for $6.00 from April 10th-17th.
If you made this shawl, how would you wear it? Post stitches visible or post stitches receding to the background?