Truly - the sky is the limit! This is a massive subject, with endless possibilities, but it's so easy to get started! Let's review the basics.
Infinite Possibilities
Fortunately, crocheting isn't just for making blankets and scarves! When crocheting in the round, you can create so many different things; the possibilities are endless. If you can imagine it, you can crochet it! There are some common, repeatable shapes that you will encounter when following crochet patterns. After doing it enough, you will start to see repeatable formulas to make these shapes. Odd or unconventional shapes are basically made using a combination of some of the more common shapes and when you know how the stitch count shapes your work, you can see how they are made.
Here are some common shapes you can make when crocheting in the round:
A flat circle
Sphere
A solid cylinder
Hollow tube
Taurus (doughnut)
Egg
A symmetrical cone
Curved horn
Bowl
A flat square
3D cube
Combinations of these shapes can achieve practical objects such as:
Toys or stuffed animals
Socks, scarves, hats and other clothing
Mandala wall art, table cloths, and place settings
Decorative bowls and baskets
Granny squares, afghans, and blankets
To make these things, and much more, all you need is a little bit of patience and know-how. Here's how you can get started...
The Magic Circle
Also called a Magic Loop or Magic Ring, it's a technique to master if you plan to crochet in the round more than once. It is a preferred technique used to begin making your first round of stitches. It's called "magic" because you can adjust the size of the circle at the beginning, allowing you to close the center hole very tight, or leave it relaxed if you choose. If you're unfamiliar with this technique, check out this video, and practice!
Increases and Decreases
Understanding how stitch count changes between rounds is crucial to crocheting in the round. Unlike crocheting in rows, where the stitch count sometimes never changes for your entire project, crocheting in the round requires you to keep track of your stitch count for each round because it changes. And, how the count changes is really important. The shape of your work is directly related to the variations in stitch count as you progress in your rounds.
As the terms suggest, an increase means you are crocheting more than 1 stitch into a designated space and a decrease means you are combining more than 1 stitch to reduce the count. Probably the most common increase method you will encounter when crocheting in the round is the "inc" which refers to 2 single crochet stitches made into the same space. Similarly, "dec" refers to the combination of 2 single crochet stitches being reduced to one. Increase and decrease methods can also be used with larger stitches such as the double crochet (abbreviated as "dc inc/dec"), and these methods can be used to combine 3 or even 4 stitches to reduce the count to a single stitch.
The Increase Factor
I'm not sure if there is a universally accepted term for this concept, but this is how I refer to it in my workshops and tutorials. The increase factor refers to the number of stitches that must be added or subtracted from each round to achieve the desired shape. If you've come this far, I presume you're familiar with how a crocheted piece of work can "grow" as you make stitches. When stitching in the round, your work grows and changes shape with each new round when you increase the stitch count. How we increase the stitch count involves a bit of math, which determines the shape of our work.
Learn more about the Increase Factor.
Many amigurumi or 3D shapes involve crocheting in the round, with spiral rounds, increasing by a factor of 6 (most common), and sometimes 5, 7, or 8. This means that each new round has X more stitches than the one before - X being the increase factor.
Spiral vs Joined Rounds
A crochet pattern will normally specify how each round is completed. Usually, amigurumi and 3D shapes are crocheted in the round with spiral rounds - meaning the stitches continue without joining or closing rounds. Granny squares are crocheted in the round, but they generally call for joining rounds - meaning each round is closed with a slip stitch after finishing the last stitch.
As you can see from the left side of the image, joined rounds produce individual, closed rounds of concentric circles. On the right side, there is no closing of the rounds in the spiral; it is continuous. The stitch count is the same for each round between the two circles, the main difference between them is how the rounds terminate.
Master the fundamental stitches
If you're new to crochet but have big crochet dreams, I recommend that you master the fundamental stitches before tackling a challenging project. Crocheting in the round opens a door to infinite possibilities, but without the fundamentals, you can quickly become frustrated by complex patterns, terminologies, and stitch combinations. Do yourself a favor and practice the following basic stitches until you are satisfied with the tension and uniformity of your work:
When you feel confident that you've mastered these stitches, all the other crochet methods and stitch combinations will feel easy!
There are so many things you can create by crocheting in the round - way too many to cover in a single post. If you're just getting started, browse some free online crochet patterns, or pick up a pattern book to get some inspiration!
I hope you found this tutorial helpful! Please let me know if you have any questions. Check out my other posts for more information and my YouTube channel for helpful video tutorials!
Happy crafting!
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