How to Crochet a Perfectly Round Circle

I taught myself how to crochet, pulling bits of information from various sources that sort of came together into actual skills. It took a LOT of trial and error and I don’t want that for you. Even if you’ve been crocheting for a while, you can learn something new every day. Today I want to walk you through how to crochet a perfectly round circle.

Let’s look at how to crochet a perfectly round circle

Working in the round

What I’m referring to is the method we use to make amigurumi, meaning you work continuously in the round without using slip stitches.

Let’s look at two flat circles.

Both samples are made using the same yarn, hook, and the same number of stitches (48).

Do you see the difference? The sample on the left has very distinct edges, giving it the appearance of a hexagon.

Why are they different?

The Stacked Strategy

The answer lies in the increases. Let’s look at the written pattern for circle A. If you’ve worked in the round before, it might look familiar.

The only difference going down the rows is the number of single crochet in between the increases. The problem with this approach is that all those increases are stacked on top of each other, creating edges.

This is the way I learned and how a lot of people learn when they start working in the round. And this method is easier to keep track of when first getting the spacing of the increases down.

However, if you make amigurumi, soon you’ll start to notice this distinct hexagon shape in your projects and that may not be what you want.

How can I round out those edges?

The Stagger Strategy

The answer is simple: stagger your increases.

Take a look at the pattern for circle B.

These patterns are almost identical, but every other row has the increase shifted a little. By staggering your increases, those edges become much softer.

It’s that easy!

Does it really make a difference in amigurumi?

Yes. If you like that hexagon look, then ignore me and keep being awesome, but if you’re looking for cleanly rounded sides, try this.

Take a look at these two amigurumi.

I made the turtle on the left in early 2020 when I was still using the Stacked Strategy from Pattern A. You may recognize Sammie the Turtle there on the right. Sammie was created with the Stagger Strategy from Pattern B and the spiral on his shell is MUCH smoother than that of the 2020 turtle.

Wrap Up

I hope you enjoyed this article and give the Stagger Strategy a try with your next project. You won’t regret it!

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