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Crochet CirclesLearning how to crochet circles is easier than you may think. It’s almost the same as crocheting in rows. The only difference is; you are crocheting in rounds, instead of back and forth. You increase your stitch count with each round. (If you don’t increase evenly with each row, you end up with a bowl or a tube instead of a flat circle!!) When you create crocheted circles, you never have to turn your work, so there is an obvious right side and wrong side to your project.
Getting Started There are 2 basic ways that I use to crochet circles: For either method, the first thing I do is to create a short chain and connect that chain with a slip stitch. (I usually use three (3) chains.) Slip stitch into chain.
Crochet around the chain.
Once you have connected the chain into a circle, you can use the center of that circle as your entry point for your hook. You will crochet around the original chains, enclosing them within your stitches. You can add as many stitches as you need to into this center “hole”. If a chain 3 circle is too small, you can increase the original chain size to fit your needs. This will be your foundation round. Crochet into the chain stitches.
The other method I use is similar to the first. The difference is, instead of crocheting around the original chains, you crochet into them. So if your pattern called for six (6) stitches in your first round, you would simple do a chain three (3) round, connect it with a slip stitch, and crochet two (2) stitches into each chain stitch. With this method, you have to be careful not to twist your original chains when you are connecting them. Otherwise you end up with a sloppy looking center, or a twisted foundation round. Both of the above methods leave a little hole in the center of your starting round. A third method that doesn’t leave a hole in the center uses a loop to start crocheting into. I very seldom use this method. Most of what I have done with crochet circles, I haven’t cared that there is a hole in the center. It has actually added to my design. 3rd method leaves no hole in the center. Crochet around a loop.
Wrap the yarn loosely around your finger a couple of times. (Or just make a loop, about the size of a quarter.) You are going to work your first stitch around the yarn on your finger (loop), enclosing it within your stitches. Insert your hook into the center of the wrapped yarn (loop). (Between the yarn and your finger.) The wrap on the top of your finger should now be on top of your hook. Finish your stitch, securing the wrapped yarn within it. Carefully remove your finger, leaving the loop. Work the remaining stitches onto the loop. When you are done, gently pull the tail of the loop to tighten up the stitches. You will then work the stitches for the next round into the stitches in your foundation round. Adding Rounds There are two ways to add rounds to your foundation round. You can stop them so that each round is even, or you can continue on so that your rounds spiral out gradually getting larger. If you use the spiral method, the use of a stitch marker becomes very important. If you do not use a stitch marker, it is very difficult to keep track of your round count.
To make your crochet circles even, you will want to stop and restart each round. To do this, connect your last stitch to your first stitch in the round with a slip stitch. Start your next round by making a “turning” chain. (Only don’t turn your work unless the pattern calls for it.) Simply chain to the height of your stitch, as you would if you were crocheting back and forth. Then continue on as the pattern indicates. These rounds are very easy to count. They end up looking just like rows in back and forth crochet. Even rounds end very evenly. This method makes a very symmetrical circle, but you can see a “seam” where each row stops and starts.
To make your crochet circles spiral, you just continue to crochet into each stitch. You do not stop and restart. On your first round, when you get to your last stitch, simply continue and crochet into the first stitch of that round. It makes a little “skip” in your first round, but then spirals gradually larger and larger. This doesn’t make a perfect circle when you are done, but there is not a visible “seam”. When you end a spiral round, it will leave a little “bump” where your last stitch is. Since this method spirals around and you never stop and start a new row, it does not have a “seam”. If you are looking for a cleaner, seamless round, I would recommend this method. The beginning “skip” is hardly noticeable, especially with shorter stitches like a single crochet. The ending “bump” is a little more noticeable, though. You can finish off tightly, pulling it in, or run a single crochet edge around it, which can make it disappear almost completely. You will want to add a stitch marker to the first stitch in each round so you can keep track of where they stop and start. If you lose track of your count when you are doing a spiral round, you will have to count each stitch to figure out where you are at. What a headache!! Use those stitch markers!! They can save you hours of time!! (Yes, that’s experience talking.) (This spiral technique is used quite a bit when making stuffed animals. The pieces are sewn together, so the ending “bump” gets hidden inside. You are left with an animal with no seams. Ok, except the one you leave to stuff it!!)
To make a flat side, or half circle, only crochet half of the circle. Then work half rounds as you would rows. (Back and forth, turning your work.) Make your foundation round, crochet all the way around it. Then begin working your half rounds. Use the even crochet circle method. The number of rows worked will depend on the desired finished size. (My picture shows only one half round of double crochet.) The spiral method does not work when doing half rounds. You have to work each half round back and forth as if you were working with rows. Crochet Ovals
With just a little “tweaking”, you can use the same method for spiral crochet circles to crochet ovals. I learned this by accident when I was making rugs for my Barbies. (It was a crochet circles project gone horribly wrong!!) Later, I found out that it is the foundation of slippers and other projects that want a longer starting point for working in the round. Basic Oval Pattern Make a foundation chain. Base the length on how long you want your rounds to be. The longer the foundation chain, the longer and narrower the resulting rounds will be. Round 1: Work your first stitch into the appropriate back loop of your chain. (2nd for single crochet, 3rd (4th) for double crochet, etc...) Continue working your stitches around to the end of the chain. Work three (3) more stitches into the last chain. This will “turn the corner” on your foundation chain. Work your stitches back along the foundation chain going into both top loops all the way to the first chain. Work three (3) additional stitches into that first stitch. Round 2 on: Continue crocheting around, adding 2-3 stitches in each “corner” of your oval (you can add more if needed to keep the oval flat and the ends rounded). This will evenly increase your stitches in each round. (As the oval grows, you will have some single stitches in between the “corners”.) When it reaches the desired size, finish off and weave in ends. Try changing colors for the rounds to add some interest. Some of the fun yarns that you can get now would make some really cool Barbie rugs or doll blankets. (Lots more fun than the ones I used to make!! Man I wish my husband wouldn’t laugh at me if I still played with Barbies!!) Want to make fun hair accessories? Buy some of those cheap elastic bands that you use to put your hair into a pony tail. (My daughter calls them ponies and hair ties.) Use those to create your foundation row. Simply enclose the hair tie within your stitches. Once your stitches are on, they can lose a little of their stretch (yarn doesn’t stretch well), but if you get enough stitches on there without stretching them, they don’t lose much. Use the same method of working in rounds as you do with crochet circles to crochet around the hair ties. Use smaller hooks and smaller yarns to create fancy lace designs. Use simpler stitches and fun, furry, or colorful yarns for other effects. Looking for more tips or crochet books? ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ Want to ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ Return to Crocheted Gifts
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