Bonjour,
When you’re working in the round to create a circle, there’s a lot of increasing going on. In order to make the circle lie flat, you need to put increases evenly spaced in each round. For example, if your circle is 6 stitches to start, you’ll be increasing 6 stitches in every round.
The counting can be kind of confusing. I’ve made a lot of amigurumis, and I’ve made some observations on the increase patterns. So I thought I’d share a tip with you.
This will only work if you’re working a regular circle. In other words, one that increases regularly each round. This technique is mainly for working in a spiral. (Amigurumi-style, using a stitch marker to keep your place.)
For the purposes of explaining, I’ll stick a pattern here:
Round 1: 6 sc in a Magic Ring, or ch 2, sc 6 in 2nd ch from hk.
Round 2: 2 sc in each st around.
Round 3: *sc 1, 2 sc in next st* around
Round 4: *sc 2, 2 sc in next st* around
Round 5: *sc 3, 2 sc in next st* around
Round 6: *sc 4, 2 sc in next st* around
Round 7: *sc 5, 2 sc in next st* around
Let’s look at a random round…how about Round 5? *Sc 3, 2 sc in next st* around. The instructions between * and * are the pattern repeat. Three single crochets, then two single crochets in the next stitch. Count how many single crochets you’ll be making in the pattern repeat. 2 + 3 = 5. 5 single crochets in each pattern repeat. Round 5.
In Round 7: Sc 5, 2 sc in next st. 2 + 5 = 7. 7 stitches in each pattern repeat.
It’s easy enough to do it this way, when you have all of the information. But what if you know the round but not the pattern repeat? It’s simple if you’re doing a circle pattern like the one above. If Round 7 had 5 single crochets in between an increase, Round 8 will have 6. But if you only have the round number and don’t have the pattern (or you’re making up your own), then this technique comes in handy.
Let’s you’ve worked 12 rounds of a regular circle. But you lost the pattern. Or your dog ate it or your printer is malfunctioning or some other problem that prevents you from looking at it.
Take the round number that you’re on, and subtract two from it. The resulting number is how many stitches you’ll have in between increases.
13 – 2 = 11. 11 stitches in between increases. (*sc 11, sc 2 in next st* around).
(Stick whatever round number you’re on instead of 13. Or try it out with the pattern above.)
I hope this helped someone, and that I didn’t make it sound too confusing. If you have any questions, please ask.
~ The Cogaroo ~
You have a way with words, but all these numbers make my head spin. Crochet and math should not be intertwined!
Thank you, 7th Grade Mentalist. I have to admit that math is quite useful in crochet…
I’m a beginner and confused about the basics. Does round 5 mean three single chains into the next stitch and then 2sc into the next stitch after that?
The ‘2sc’ is an increase, where you work two single crochets into the same stitch. Normally you work one single crochet (or whatever stitch you’re using) into each stitch. So Round 5 would be: three straight single crochets (not into the same stitch, into three stitches), and then an increase in the next stitch.
Each of the ‘sc 5’ or ‘sc 3’ directions above indicate crocheting with no increases. So if it says ‘sc 4, 2 sc in next st’, then you’ll do 1 single crochet into each of the next 4 stitches, then increase in the next stitch.
I hope this helps! Let me know if anything is still unclear. Don’t worry, you’ll get it. 🙂