How to : get a perfect circle when you crochet in the round

Nice circle tip by ahooka

Before presenting you other patterns, I would like to give you a tip to get a nice circle when you crochet in the round. Indeed, when I started crocheting, especially amigurumis, I’ve been facing a problem that I’m sure you’ve all been through : my circles looked more like hexagons…

 

That’s because when you follow this kind of basic pattern :

Round 1 : 6 sc in a MR (6)
Round 2 : inc x6 (12)
Round 3 : (sc, inc ) x6 (18)
Round 4 : (2sc, inc) x6 (24)
Round 5: (3sc, inc) x6 (30)
Round 6: (4sc, inc) x6 (36)
…It gives you an hexagonal circle (A) and not a nice round circle (B)

So I asked lord Google to help me but all the answers he gave me were way too damn brain-consuming for my little head (I DON’T like MATH.)
So now that I have worked out the answer, I’ll share it with you !
You have to shift the increases from one row to another.
Wait, what? That’s all?
Yes that’s all really. One simple tip (to rule them all?)

So here is what you have to do with your pattern now that you know DA SECRET.

Round 1 : 6 sc in a MR (6)
Round 2 : inc x6 (12)
Round 3 : (sc, inc ) x6 (18)
Round 4 : (2sc, inc) x6 (24) —–> 1sc, inc, (2sc,inc) x5, 1sc (24)
Round 5: (3sc, inc) x6 (30)
Round 6: (4sc, inc) x6 (36) —-> 2sc, inc, (4sc inc) x5, 2sc (36)

And so on !

You basically just need to shift the increase in the rounds with an even number of single crochet before the increase (because it’s easier to divide when it’s even !)

I hope that will help ! Please feel free to ask questions in the comments if you don’t get it clear!

What about you? Do you have any usefull tips to share?

67 Responses to How to : get a perfect circle when you crochet in the round

  1. You are a gem! I was only just wondering this weekend why my circle looked hexagonal. I will definitely be using your tip next time – thanks! :)

    • Actually,…no ! At least she had the decency to link back here but she never asked if she could translate it :) Thanks for letting me know !

    • Hi Mary,

      Exactly the same way ! You keep the rows where the number of sc between the increases is uneven like they are but you shift the increases on the other rows.
      R1 : sc5 in MR (5)
      R2 : inc x 5 (10)
      R3 : (sc, inc) x 5 (15)
      R4 : sc, inc (sc2, inc) x4, sc (20)
      R5 : (sc3, inc) x5 (25)
      R6 : sc2, inc (sc4, inc)x4, sc2 (30)

  2. Maybe a silly question, but I’m making a hat, so therefor need more stitches. How do I increase after the 6th row. Is it: 5 sc;inc x 6
    and row 8: do I have to add just 1 sc in the beginning and end or more? like,3 sc; inc; (5x) 6 sc, inc; 3 sc
    …I’m confused…(don’t like math either!)

    Carolien

    PS:I crocheted your pattern of Agnes and the unicorn (the big white one, with no pattern) and gave it to my daughter (25…) and she loooooooooooved it!! It’s so fluffy, I’m gonna die!!

    • Hi Carolien !

      R7 would be (5sc, inc) x 6 you’re right.
      Then, in a “normal” pattern you would have R8 : (6sc, inc), but as you don’t want to keep your increases always in the same spot, you’ll have to shift them. To do so, you look at the number of sc before the increase (here 6) and divide it by 2 to start the row with, and you’ll make the 3 missing one at the end :
      R8 : 3sc, inc, (6sc, inc) x 5, 3sc

      Does it make more sense now?

      Ps: I’d be glad to see your Lil Agnes ! I could also add it in the facebook gallery if you’d like :)

  3. What a wonderful pattern for a circle….not just any circle but a PERFECT circle and you definitely found it. But here is my question….can you write a complete pattern that way we all have something to look at and study? I do appreciate your hard work and study, was just hoping for a longer tutorial…and hey I signed up for you blog…you do some awesome work!!!!
    Thanks for Sharing!!!

    • Hi :)
      Thank you for your nice comment !
      I didn’t feel the need to go on with the pattern as it will always go on the same way. You just need to keep adding 6 stitches on each round, and switch the increases as explained every two rounds !
      The thing is a circle is never complete, so if I go on with that pattern, I could never stop ^^
      See you soon :)

      • Okay I guess that wasn’t a good question to ask so I’ll try this…you posted this,
        “1sc, inc, (2sc,inc) x5, 1sc (24)”
        Does the last sc made go in the same sp as the first sc made?

        Thank you so much for your time and I still Love your blog!

        • :)

          Nope, the last sc goes into the last stitch. Let me break it down for you :

          On the previous row you had 18 stitches.

          1sc, ► In the first one, you make a sc
          inc, ► In the second one, you increase
          (2sc, ► In the third and the 4th one, you sc
          inc) ► In the 5th one, you increase (that’s 2st)

          x5 ► those 2 last lines should be made 5 times in all, so you’ll sc again in the 6th and 7th st, inc in the 8th, sc in the 9th and 10th, inc in the 11th, sc in the 12th and 13th, inc in the 14th, sc in the 15th and 16th, inc in the 17th

          ,1sc ► Finally, sc in the 18th (or last !) stitch

          You’ll have increased 6 times, and therefore have 24 stitches.

          I hope it does help :)

  4. I’m a beginner to crochet and am trying to decipher the instructions, for example ……..2sc, inc…… Does that interpret to 2 single crochets and then the next stitch is an increase?

  5. Hi. Thank you so much for this pattern. My question is when I finish my circle, I’m left with an sort of lump at the top where my round ends. How would I end the round when finished? Thanks!

  6. Amazing, thank you ^_^

    I’m a beginner and I don’t like my decrease stichs (a large space between the decrease stitch and the next simple crochet). How could I improve it?

  7. am a slow, starting crocheter I need easy directions I can understand, I do not even know what MR means. Please help me. I AM 78 YEARS OLD.

    • Hi Patsy,

      Yeah, I don’t think you need these instructions when you start, they can get confusing. A MR is a magic ring, there’s plenty videos about it on Youtube, I’d recommend watching that. Youtube is the best way to start I think (I did !)

      Have a nice day !

  8. thank you for an explanation in such a simple way! finally my circle is flat and round!

  9. You cracked me up as I read this! I hate math, too. ;) Can not Wait to try this pattern! Thank you!

  10. Thank-you!! This is by far the simplest method I have come across. The randomness of other methods is nigh impossible to do on the fly in your head. Too much witchcraft for my liking. This will be my go to method from now on.

    • Thank you Tracy, I had the same problem with the other methods I ran into on the internet. And I really wanted to find a way that I could use without a pen and paper next to me ^^ Really glad you liked it :)

  11. Hmmmm. I’m not understanding this. I’m fairly new to making amigurumis. It looks like the exact same pattern. I feel really not so smart right now. Lol. Maybe it’s going right over my head. Could you write it out in full sentences for me , if you have time. I’m not seeing where the difference is. I know I will kick myself when I read the answer. It must be right there since everyone else is getting it. Lol

    • Hi Terri,
      Round 1,2,3 and 5 are, indeed the same but round 4 and 6 have been changed (after the arrow)and I’m guessing that’s what you missed :)
      Feel free to ask if you have any other question !

  12. Thanks for explaining it so clearly! There was a blog post somewhere else I read a while back that just left me confused as to how to do it. I’ll have to try this on my next project.

  13. Thanks for this useful tips!! I have been crocheting for many years and now I would like to improve my technique :-)
    Thanks!!

  14. Thank you for the pattern! Could you please write out more of the pattern, or at least explain the math (gasp!) behind it? Including the decreases.
    Are we supposed to add one stitch to the very beginning, and then double the sc in the parenthesis? Or, just add 2? And, at the end of each row, do we add one more each time, or is there another way to calculate it? With only two rounds shown it’s difficult to tell what the pattern is. If you could write out more, that would be great!
    Thanks so much!

    • Sure, it would always be the same thing : devide the first number of sc before the inc by 2 every other row, and make the sc left at the end of the row :

      Round 1 : 6 sc in a MR (6)
      Round 2 : inc x6 (12)
      Round 3 : (sc, inc ) x6 (18)
      Round 4 : (2sc, inc) x6 (24) —–> 1sc, inc, (2sc,inc) x5, 1sc (24)
      Round 5: (3sc, inc) x6 (30)
      Round 6: (4sc, inc) x6 (36) —-> 2sc, inc, (4sc, inc) x5, 2sc (36)
      Round 7: (5sc, inc) x6 (42)
      Round 8: (6sc, inc) x6 (48) —-> 3sc, inc, (6sc, inc) x5, 3sc (48)
      Round 8: (7sc, inc) x6 (54)
      Round 9: (8sc, inc) x6 (60) —-> 4sc, inc, (8sc, inc) x5, 4sc (60)

      • Hi!

        Thanks for expounding the pattern further! Hope you can help me with a little question of mine..

        Assuming I start decreasing from the pattern above:

        [Round 8: (6sc, inc) x6 (48) —-> 3sc, inc, (6sc, inc) x5, 3sc (48)
        Round 9: (7sc, inc) x6 (54)
        Round 10: (8sc, inc) x6 (60) —-> 4sc, inc, (8sc, inc) x5, 4sc (60)]

        Do I start shifting decreases from round 11 or from round 13 seeing that round 11 is the 1st round where the decrease is happening?

        Round 11: (8sc, dec) x6 (54) –> 4sc, dec, (8sc, dec) x5, 4sc (54)
        Round 12: (7sc, dec) x6 (48)
        Round 13: (6sc, dec) x6(42) –> 3sc, dec, (6sc, dec) x5, 3sc (42)

        Thank you so much!

        • Hi Camille, sorry for the late reply ! You can start shifting the decreases right away just like you wrote, it would be perfect !
          See you soon !

  15. THANK YOU!!!
    I haves read so many other people’s sites trying to explain this but they write way too much detail and it’s really confusing.
    Yours is presented so clearly.
    ???

  16. Thank you, thank you! I have tried to understand other instructions for this and could never understand them….must be that maths thing ?. I have just tried it and it works like a dream.??

  17. Does this also apply when decreasing? And if so can you please give me an example? TIA

  18. Also, thank you so much for helping me understand! You are so very talented. Thank you for sharing your gifts with the world!

    • Hi Bonne ! My pleasure :) And yes it does also apply to decreasing and prevents from getting a line showing on your work. It’s exactly the same principle : you will keep the rows were the number of stitches before the decrease are uneven just like they are, and you will shift the decrease on the other rows, and so on :)

  19. hi!

    I’ve just found your website and it’s so helpful however I’m just a bit stuck, if my pattern states row 7-9 is just 36sc in each stitch, do I just do this as started without the need to amend Row 8. My original pattern for row 10 is sc in 5, inc (42 in total) but if I apply method I end up with 48 stitches for row 10 is that correct?

  20. Perfect circle and perfect explanation…the best I’ve come across.took a bit of minutes to get my brains to understand it since i’m not a mathematician but I finally got it and i’m super happy. Thank you kindly

  21. I’m so totally lazy, so I was wondering if you could just slip stitch a couple stitches forward and start the increases in a different spot that way? I’m not sure if you still look at this blog.. but it has helped me 2022, so still valid and going strong. Thank you.

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