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If you have ever struggled to crochet a flat circle, this tutorial will teach you everything you need to know to how to crochet circles!
Circles are not that hard to make – but you do have to make sure that you understand how the increases and decreases work! If you don’t pay attention to the increases and decreases as you go around your circle, you might find your circle will not lay flat, and you might even end up with a hexagon or ruffles instead!
Depending on the type of project you are making, you will find that most patterns that start with a circle usually begin with either a round of 6 stitches or a round of 8 stitches, depending on the type of stitch and project you are making.
6 stitches to start is usually a better choice for single crochet and smaller circles or if you are working with a bulky yarn. I often start my circles with 8 stitches, especially if I’m working double crochet.
Technically you could start with any even number of stitches in your first round, although when you get into the increases and decreases it will get more complicated if the shape gets too big and the size of your yarn and what stitches you are making really also becomes a factor, since if your first round isn’t flat none of your other rounds will be either!
Understanding Increases for Flat Circles
The key to making flat circles is to get your increases down! The good news is the increases are actually very simple!
An increase in crochet is done by crocheting twice in the same stitch. Each time you crochet two stitches together (sometimes abreviated as 2tog or inc) is considered to be an increase. As we work our way around the rounds of a circle, we will increase in different increments each round.
Fortunately, the increases are super simple to get the hang of and it’s really easy to get into the flow for any size flat circle once you get the basics down.
Increases for Flat Crochet Circles
The trick to remembering how many increases to have each round is simply to remember that whatever round you are on will be a multiple of the number of stitches you started with in your first round.
Round 1: Number of beginning stitches, even number (usually 6 or 8 depending on pattern)
Round 2: Increase in EVERY stitch, so that you have double the number you started with. If you started with 6 stitches you will now have 12, if you started with 8, you will now have 16.
Round 3: Increase in every other stitch. If your pattern is single chain, you will sc 2 in the first stitch, then 1 sc in the next, then 2 sc in the next, repeating until you go all the way around and have an even number of repeats. This round will always have 3x the number of stitches you started with, so in the case of 6 stitches you’ll have 18, in the case of 8, you’ll have 24.
Round 4: Increase in every 2 stitches. This stitch count will be 4x the number of stitches in your starting round. (IE: 6 would be 24, 8 would be 32)
Round 5: Increase in every 3 stitches: This will end with 5x the number of stitches in the first round. (6 would be 30, 8 will be 40)
Round 6: Increase in every 4 stitches (6x the # starting stitches)
Round 7: Increase in every 5 stitches (7x the # starting stitches)
Round 8: Increase in every 6 stitches (8x the # starting stitches)
Round 9: Increase in every 7 stitches (9x the # starting stitches)
Round 10: Increase in every 8 stitches (10x the # starting stitches)
And just keep going and going each round!
Here’s a simple and easy reference chart with ALL the increases, which is super helpful if you are making a large item such as a shawl, table cloth or rug:
If you would like a printable version of this chart to keep in your crochet journal or notes as a cheatsheet, make sure you check out our crochet journal/planner – it’s full of helpful and useful things every crochet lover needs!
To Join Rows or Not Join Rounds?
One thing I’ve found in crocheting many different stitches is that sometimes you will want to join your rounds at the end with a slip stitch, but other times you may not want to join rows at the end, you may just want to keep going around and around.
The key I have found in whether or not you should join rows is whether you are working with single crochet stitches or taller crochet stitches like double crochet, treble crochet or even some fancier options like the puff stitch.
If you are crocheting in single crochet, it is almost impossible to join the rounds evenly, and this is because a single crochet stitch is really not much taller that the slip stitch you would use to join the rounds. The rounds are also not very tall, and so it’s hard sometimes to even really notice when the round ends.
It really gets messed up if you aren’t careful! So, when I am crocheting in single crochet in the round, I do NOT join the rounds at the end. I simply put a marker at the first stitch and keep going around, moving the marker up each time I reach the stitch count for that round.
However, there ARE times when I really think it is a lot better to join the rounds, and this is if you are working with pretty much any stitch that is not single crochet.
To join the rounds, you will want to slip stitch the end of the round together with the first stitch of the round, and then typically you will want to chain 2 or 3 to count as your first stitch in the round.
Since
Crochet Flat Circle Pattern
This pattern will work for any type of stitch – single crochet, double crochet, etc. If you are crocheting with single crochet stitches, do not join the rounds together by slip stitching at the end – simply use a marker to keep track of the beginning of each round.
If you are using double crochet stitches or other taller stitches, you will want to join each round at the end with a slip stitch. Depending on the pattern, you will then need to chain 3 which will count as your first stitch of double crochet.
Begin your circle by using a magic ring or make a short chain of 3-4 stitches and slip stitch together to form a circle.
Round 1: Stitch the number of beginning stitches in the center of your circle. (Usually 6 or 8)
Round 2: Make 2 stitches in each stitch around, doubling the number of stitches. (2x # of starting stitches)
Round 3: Make 2 stitches in the first stitch of the previous round, and 1 stitch into the next stitch. Repeat around. (3x # of starting stitches)
Round 4: Make 2 stitches in the first stitch of the previous round, and 1 stitch into each of the next 2 stitches. Repeat around. (4x # of starting stitches)
Round 5: Make 2 stitches into the first stitch, and 1 stitch into each of the next 3 stitches. Repeat around. (5x # of starting stitches)
Round 6: Make 2 stitches into the first stitch, then 1 stitch in each of the next 4 stitches. Repeat around. (5x # of starting stitches)
You can keep going for as long as you like for any size you want!!! Simply do two stitches in the first stitch and then do one single stitch in the next stitches, adding one more single stitch each time you go around.
Crocheting a flat circle doesn’t have to be complicated – and hopefully these tips and our simple formula and crochet circle pattern will inspire you!
Once you master the basic circle shape, you’re ready for all kinds of projects!