Crochet: The perfect circle

Hello crocheters!

A very common question when knitting in the round is: why doesn't my circle look like a circle? In this post we are going to try to solve it and give some tips to get the shape we want in this case: the circle.

First of all, let's remember that to increase our round base, we must use increases . The increase consists of making 2 stitches on the same stitch from the previous round (first one, we close it, and to make the next one, we stitch again in the same place). In this way, where in our previous round there was only 1 stitch, in this round we have generated 2 stitches.

To increase a round base, we need to increase stitches in each round, so that the size of our work grows. We start with a number of stitches, and the sequence in the following rounds will be:

1st round: Increase in all stitches

2nd round: Increase every 1 stitch (i.e.: I make 1 normal stitch, in the next stitch I make 2 stitches on the same stitch from the previous round, I make 1 normal stitch, etc.)

3rd round: Increase every 2 stitches

4th round: Increase every 3 stitches

5th round: Increase every 4 stitches

…and so on

It seems very simple at first glance. But be careful! If we start all the rounds doing this sequence, the shape of the fabric will take on a hexagonal form , because the increases will always coincide at the same height of the work. This will deform the circle, giving it a hexagonal appearance.

Example 1

If we start all our laps like this:

Increase, increase, increase…

Increase, 1 pt, increase, 1 pt…

Increase, 2 pts, increase, 2 pts…

The increases will coincide in each round at the same height of the fabric.

Example 2

If we start all our laps like this:

Increase, increase, increase…

1 pt, increase, 1 pt, increase…

2 pts, increase, 2 pts, increase…

The same thing will happen to us.

FIRST TIP FOR THE PERFECT CIRCLE: INCREASES

The first tip I give you to prevent this from happening and to get our perfect crochet circle is to vary the sequence at the beginning of the round, so that the increase does not fall at the same height as the one from the previous round.

For example: if I need to increase every 6 stitches, I can start the round by doing “3 stitches, increase”, and continue the rest of the round with “6 stitches, increase…”. The result will be the same, the round will look great and correctly increased. The only thing to keep in mind is that at the end of the round we will end with “increase, 3 stitches”. Why? If we visualize our entire round as a circle, we find that the 3 initial stitches and the 3 final stitches joined together form our 6 stitches of the sequence.

Below is a table showing how to optimally distribute the increases at the beginning of each round to knit the perfect circle.

To calculate how to start the next rows (if your circle is larger) is very simple. To get the start of the next row, alternate stitches (adding 1 to the number of two previous rows) with increases (adding 2 to the stitches of two previous rows).

SECOND TIP FOR THE PERFECT CIRCLE: THE START OF THE CIRCLE

I advise you not to start with magic circles. Magic circles are super useful for many things, but in this case… to knit a circle in the round, I prefer to form my central circle with chain stitches joined with a slip stitch. Because if you start with a magic circle, it will tend to stick out more easily, rather than having a raised shape in the center of your round base.

What I do is crochet, for example, 3 chains and close them with a slip stitch, and make the stitches of my first round in the circle that is formed. Then it becomes very dense and the center is completely closed.

THIRD TIP FOR THE PERFECT CIRCLE: UPWARD CHAINS

My third tip when knitting a circular base in the round is in relation to the number of chain stitches we knit at the beginning of the round to give height to the stitch.

If we are going to make the round in single crochet or half crochet, we give it its natural height (1 chain or 2 chain stitches, respectively).

But if we are going to make the round in double crochet, instead of making 3 chains in height, make only 2 chains. When you finish the round you will see that the first and last stitches are more uniform.

I hope that with these tips you will be encouraged to make many perfect circles!! On rugs, baskets, fashion…

And you, in what next project are you going to apply it?