CROCHET IN THE ROUND
O
nce you can crochet in rows, it’s
easy to crochet in the round. There’s
no special equipment needed and
only a few simple rules to remember – we’ll
explain all of these in this chapter. Being able
to crochet in the round means you can create
seamless circular fabrics and tackle a world
of possible projects, including granny
squares, hats and amigurumi toys.
The biggest difference between rounds
of crochet and rows of crochet is how you get
started. When you crochet in rows, you start
with a foundation chain, but for rounds, you
start with a foundation ring.
There are various ways to make a
foundation ring to crochet in the round – we’ll
show you how to do the three most popular
methods (summarised below). You can find
other methods online.
These three methods are great when you
want to start off with a small number of
stitches, such as for toys or flat motifs likeflowers or granny squares. When you want to
work a large number of stitches in the round,
such as for a cowl or sleeve, you’ll need to use
the basic ring method.
Once you’ve made your foundation ring
and worked the first round (we’ll explain how),
crocheting in the round is much like
crocheting in rows – make a turning chain
and then work your stitches into the tops of
the stitches on the previous round. To help
you keep track of where you are in the round
and when you’ve reached the end, you can
use a locking stitch marker. Place the marker
in the first stitch of the round and move it up
after finishing each round to keep track of
where you are.
Once you start following patterns that are
worked in the round, you’ll see that many use
increasing and decreasing stitches, which
we’ll cover next. These techniques are vital
for making interesting shapes and for items
such as garments.NO TWISTING
When you work the basic ring method, be
careful not to twist the chain when you join it
into a ring. This is especially important if you
have a long foundation ring for a large
number of stitches. Any twists could distort
your fabric, or affect the finished edge of your
item, and you may have to start again.FIRST ROUND
The method for working your first round of
stitches will depend on the size and type of
foundation ring you’ve made. For a really long
foundation ring, you can just work each stitch
of the first round into each individual chain of
the foundation ring, just like you’d work in
rows. For a very short foundation ring, like the
three below, you’ll need to work the stitches
into the space at the centre of the ring, so
insert the hook there instead.THE RUNDOWN
BASIC RING
The easiest foundation ring to
crochet involves joining 4-6
chains using a slip stitch. This
method creates a small hole at
the centre of the first round.
See page 54.CHAIN LOOP
An alternative foundation ring
method, which creates a small
hole at the centre. Best used
when you have a small number
of stitches on the first round.
See page 60.MAGIC LOOP
Advance to this clever
technique, often used when
you’re making amigurumi toys.
This method leaves no hole in
the centre after the first round.
See page 62.These are the three most-used foundation
rings (right). If you’re working from a
pattern, it should tell you which type of ring
to make. The result you get might differ if
you use a different ring, so it’s often best to
make the ring stated in the pattern. Once
you gain more experience with foundation
rings, you’ll have the confidence to use the
method you like best and the one you know
will suit the item you’re making.ROUNDS
Working crochet stitches in the round is easier
than you think, and will enable you to make
seamless garments, flat shapes like flowers
and 3D items like toys. By Becky SkuseALL ABOUT...
We’ll show you how to work
these three popular methodsFOUNDATION
RINGS