📚 What you’ll learn
How to recognize and fix common issues when working in the round, including accidental increases or decreases, losing the first stitch of the round, slanted joins, gaps in the center, and misshapen circles (ruffling or cupping).
🎥 Watch
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📋 Instructions
- Cupping of curling edges (forms a bowl or cone).
- Problem: too few increases.
- Cause: the outer edge is not growing enough relative to the center.
- Ruffling of wavy edges (looks like a doily).
- Problem: too many increases.
- Cause: the outer edge is growing faster than the center, causing the excess fabric to ripple.
- Gaps in the center.
- Problem: loose starting ring.
- Cause: the magic circle or starting chain was not pulled tight enough or worked around properly.
- Uneven texture/shape.
- Problem: inconsistent tension.
- Cause: stitches are a mix of too tight and too loose within or across rounds.
🔑 Key tips
- Understanding these problems helps you “read” your work, troubleshoot as you go, and maintain confidence in shaping your circles and 3D forms.
🏋️ Practice
- If your circle starts to form a cup, what is the most likely reason?
- If the edge of your circle is ruffling, what did you probably do too much of?
- What should you do if you notice a gap in the center after finishing the first round?
- How can a stitch marker help prevent slanted joins or lost first stitches?
- Describe how you would check that your increases are evenly spaced around a round.
🎯 Goal
You can spot common shaping problems—misshapen circles, missing stitches, gaps, cupping, and unintended cones—and understand how to fix them, ensuring your rounds stay flat, smooth, and consistent.