📚 What you’ll learn
You’ll learn how increases work specifically in the round—that is, how placing more than one stitch into the same stitch or space expands the circle evenly. By increasing the same number of stitches each round, your circle grows larger while staying flat. You’ll start with 6 stitches in the Magic Ring, then grow your circle by adding 6 stitches per round (6, 12, 18, 24…). This predictable structure is the foundation for building smooth, symmetrical circles.
🎥 Watch
📋 Instructions
- Create a Magic Ring and place 6 single crochet (sc) stitches into it. Wait to pull the ring fully closed until the 2nd round—it’s easier to work with.
- Identify the first stitch of the round. Place 1 sc in that first stitch, put a stitch marker in the stitch to mark the round’s start, place another sc in the same stitch.
- Continue placing 2 sc in each stitch around until you reach the stitch marker. You should have 12 sc. Remember to pull the ring tight after this round.
- For subsequent rounds, increase evenly:
- Round 3: Increase in every other stitch (18 sc)
- Round 4: Increase in every third stitch (24 sc)
- Round 5: Increase in every fourth stitch (30 sc)
- Always count stitches carefully to keep the circle flat. Move your stitch marker up each round.
🔑 Key tips
- Mastering increases in the round is foundational for making hats, baskets, amigurumi, and other circular or 3D shapes. Understanding where to place increases ensures that your pieces grow evenly, remain flat, and have clean, professional-looking edges.
- You may choose to leave the ring slightly open until the second round is complete. This can make stitches easier to place, especially when working into the center.
- Work your first round under both strands—the working yarn and the tail—for a secure center.
- Keep stitches even; too tight stitches can cause the circle to pucker.
- Use a stitch marker to track the first stitch and any increases.
- Check your stitch count after each round to maintain flatness.
- The number of stitches each round will always be a multiple of the first round.
- Placing increases in the same stitch position each round creates visible corners and can turn your circle into a polygon. To keep your circle smooth and round, stagger your increases so they are distributed evenly around the edge instead of stacked in the same spot. In the images above, notice that:
- Stacked increases place the increase in the same position within the repeat each round. Over time, this repeated placement forms corners at those points.
- Staggered increases shift the position of the increase within the repeat. By spreading the extra stitches around the circle, the edge tension stays more balanced, resulting in a smoother, rounder shape.
🏋️ Practice
You will experiment with different stitch increases to explore how circles, bowls, and cones form in crochet. Think of this as a lab for shaping. There’s no wrong way to experiment—your swatches teach you how each increase pattern influences 3D forms.
- Start a basic circle: Make a Magic Ring and place 6 sc stitches into the center. Pull the ring closed.
- Experiment with increase frequency:
- Increase 6 each round to keep your circle flat.
- Try another circle and increase 4 each round to see your circle cup into a bowl.
- Try a third circle where you increase 9 per round to form waves or ruffles on the fabric.
- Play with stitch placement: Try spacing your increases differently or alternating stitch heights (sc, hdc, dc) to see how it changes the curve.
- Compare joined vs. spiral rounds: Work one swatch as a joined round and another as a spiral. Notice which gives smoother edges and which maintains symmetry.
- Optional creative challenge: Use your observations to design a small cone, bowl, or dome. Document what stitch counts and increases created each shape.
🎯 Goal
You can increase evenly in the round to create flat, smooth circles. You can identify the first stitch of each round, mark it, and know exactly where to place increases. You also understand when to choose joined rounds versus spirals for your projects.
