How to Crochet a Circle + Crochet Circle Increase Chart

Home » Free Crochet Patterns » How to Crochet a Circle + Crochet Circle Increase Chart

A crochet circle is a foundation for all sorts of projects like hats, amigurumi, bags, and even socks. So learning how to crochet a circle, and the magic formula to keep them round and flat is an incredibly useful skill. This guide is just what you need to master crochet circles no matter what basic stitch you plan to use.

Crocheting a circle may seem intimidating at first, but it’s really simple once you memorize a few basic principles.

UPDATED: AUGUST 21, 2023 BY BRITTANY
This post may contain affiliate links.

Learn How to Crochet a Circle that Lays Perfectly Flat

This guide was designed to answer all your questions about how to crochet a circle. We’ll look at things like how many stitches you need in your circle and a few different ways to start the circle. I’ll share step-by-step instructions, basic guidelines, and everything you need to know about crocheting a flat circle.

Here’s a quick overview of the topics we will cover in this article:


A Few Things to Know Before You Get Started

Even though you don’t turn the work as you crochet a circle, “turning chains” are still used in some instances. While given the name “turning chain” because you use them to turn and start another row, a turning chain is best understood as a way to match the height of your stitch.

You may already be familiar with how each basic stitch has a specific number of chains “assigned” to it based on how tall it is. Here’s a table with the basic stitches and the number of chains that equal the height of the stitch.

StitchChains Needed
Single Crochet1
Half Double Crochet2
Double Crochet3
Treble Crochet4
Double Treble Crochet5
Turning Chains per Stitch (US Terminology)

While some crocheters modify this number to suit their own crochet style, it’s generally accepted as an industry standard. Keep these numbers in mind as you continue reading.

How to Crochet a Circle: Three Ways to Start the Circle

While crocheting in rows starts with a foundation chain, crocheting a circle is a little different. Instead of working in rows, crochet circles are crocheted in the round – meaning you start at the center and work outward.

There are three different ways to start crocheting in the round, each with its own level of difficulty, but they’re all worth learning eventually.

Starting a Circle in a Single Chain

This method of starting your circle is likely the easiest to learn. To start the circle using a single chain as the center, all you need to do is make one more chain than you need for the stitch you’re using. This is where that previous chart comes in handy.

To start this type of round, you simply add one chain to the regular turning chain number. This extra chain will hold all the stitches in the first round, no matter what stitch you use.

Use the following chart to figure out how many chains to start this type of round:

StitchStarting Chains to Make
Single Crochet2
Half Double Crochet3
Double Crochet4
Treble Crochet5
Double Treble Crochet6
Number of Chains to Start Your Circle With

Notice how there is one more chain for each basic stitch. This extra chain will hold all the stitches in the first round of your circle.

So if you plan to use this method to start your circle, start with the number of chains in this chart for the stitch you want to use.

When you finish the chains, simply crochet the magic number of stitches in the first chain (the chain next to your slip knot). We’ll get to that “magic number of stitches” in just a bit.

Starting a Circle with a Chain Loop

To learn how to crochet a circle starting with a chain loop, this one is rather easy too. With this starting method, you will always make your slip knot and crochet 3 or 4 chains. Then join with a slip stitch to your first chain to form a ring.

Admittedly, this ring will look more like a lump of yarn, and it can be challenging for new crocheters to work with. But a little practice goes a long way.

So which should you choose? Three chains or four?

Crocheting three chains will lead to a slightly smaller hole in the middle, but it’s a little harder to find the center of the ring to work your first-round stitches. This is the end goal in most cases, but not always the best starting point for beginners.

If you’re brand new to this, start with four chains instead. The hole in the center will be a little bigger, but it’s good practice to learn how to find the center of the ring.

Here’s a quick video to show you how it’s done.

Starting a Circle with the Magic Ring

If you don’t want a noticeable hole in the center of your first round of the circle, the best way to start is with the magic ring. This nifty technique makes a sliding loop (kind of like a drawstring).

The magic ring can be a real challenge to master, but it’s worth the effort! I have an entire post dedicated to mastering the magic ring, so definitely check that out when you’re ready.

The Magic Number of Stitches to Start a Circle

No matter which starting method you choose, the first round of a crochet circle needs to have a “magic number” of stitches in order for it to be completely flat.

While there’s a little room for flexibility with these stitch counts, we find that each stitch requires its own magic number for the neatest circle.

How to Crochet a Circle: First Round Stitch Counts

Stitch UsedRound 1: Magic Number of Stitches
Single Crochet6 stitches
Half Double Crochet8 stitches
Double Crochet10 stitches
Treble Crochet12 stitches
Double Treble Crochet14 stitches

This simple rule makes crocheting the first round of your circle a breeze. The stitch you use determines how many stitches you need in the first round, plain and simple.

This will never change, no matter what size yarn or hook you use so you can go ahead and commit this to memory.

Basic Crochet Circle Pattern

The good news is that no matter how big or small, or which hook and yarn you use to crochet a circle, the basic pattern is the same: choose the starting method, crochet the first two rounds, and follow the same increasing pattern every round after that.

We’ve already seen how the number of stitches in the first round is determined by the stitch, but what about the second round?

No matter which stitches you’re using and how many stitches are in your first round, on round two you will always “increase” in every stitch.

So what is an increase you ask?

An increase in the world of crochet is to simply make two stitches into the same stitch. By putting two stitches in one, you increase your stitch count by one.

So in round two of any crochet circle with any yarn, any of the basic stitches, or any hook, you will always make two stitches in every one of your first round stitches.

With this information in mind, let’s look at an example pattern for the first two rounds of a crochet circle. We’ll break the first round into three options so you have a basic circle pattern for all three starting methods you read about in the first section of this article.

Supplies

  • Yarn: For practice, use medium-weight yarn. You’ll only need a small amount to make a few rounds.
  • 5.5 mm Crochet Hook

Pattern Notes

  • The side facing you as you crochet the circle is considered the right side.
  • This crochet pattern is written in US terms.

In the example, I’ll use double crochet stitches. But the same basic pattern will apply to the single crochet, half double crochet, and treble crochet stitches.

The difference is only the number of stitches in the first round (determined in the first-round stitch counts table), and the number of chains used to start with the single chain method.

Stitch Abbreviations

  • Ch Chain
  • Dc Double Crochet
  • Rem Remaining
  • Slst Slip Stitch
  • St(s) Stitch(es)

Single Chain Starting Method:
Round 1: Ch 4. Make 9 dc in the first ch. Join with a slst to the third ch. (10 sts)

Chain Loop Starting Method:
Round 1: Ch 3. Join with a slst to the first ch to form a ring. Ch 3 (counts as a dc). Make 9 dc in the center of the ring. Join with a slst to the third ch. (10 sts)

Magic Ring Starting Method:
Round 1: Make a magic ring with 10 dc. Join with a slst to the first dc. (10 sts)

Round 2: Ch 3 (counts as a dc). Make 1 dc in the same st that ch is coming from. Make 2 dc in each rem st. Join with a slst to the third ch. (20 sts)

It’s worth noting one more time to drive home the point. The first round of the circle depends on two things: how you start the ring, and what stitch you use.

The second round of the circle is always the same, no matter what stitch, yarn, or hook you use. But what about the rounds after that?

While the wording of the next rounds will differ based on the stitch, the basic pattern follows the same “increasing formula”. We’ll pick up on this pattern after we look at the increasing formula for crochet circles in the next section.

Crochet Circle Increasing Formula

When learning how to crochet a circle, the most important thing to remember is the increasing formula:

The number of stitches in the first round is how many stitches you need to increase every round.

In our double crochet circle example, we had 10 stitches in the first round. Then in the second round, we increased every stitch for a total of 20 stitches. In other words, we increased by 10 stitches.

For every round thereafter, increasing by the same number of stitches is how to crochet a circle that lays flat. Use this chart for reference of stitch counts for the circle you want to make.

Crochet Circle Increase Chart

Single CrochetHalf Double CrochetDouble CrochetTreble CrochetDouble Treble Crochet
Round 168101214
Round 21216202428
Round 31824303642
Round 42432404856
Round 53040506070
Round 63648607284
Round 74256708498
Round 848648096112
Round 9547290108126
Round 106080100120140
Round 116688110132154
Round 127296120144168
Round 1378104130156182
Round 1484112140168196
Round 1590120150180210

Notice that for each round, the stitch count increases by the same as the number of stitches in the first round.

Now that you know how many additional stitches each round of a circle needs to lay flat, the next thing to figure out is where to put the extra stitches (or the increases).

Evenly Space Increases to Crochet a Flat Circle

In order for crochet circles to lay flat, you must evenly space the increases. And there’s yet another easy way to remember this. For each round after two, the number of stitches between each increase increases by one.

In round 2 of any crochet circle, there are no stitches in between increases because you increase every stitch. So we pick up on the third round.

Use this list to tell you where to increase in each round:

  • Round 3 → 1 stitch between increases
  • Round 4 → 2 stitches between increases
  • Round 5 → 3 stitches between increases
  • Round 6 → 4 stitches between increases
  • Round 7 → 5 stitches between increases
  • Round 8 → 6 stitches between increases
  • Round 9 → 7 stitches between increases
  • Round 10 → 8 stitches between increases
  • Round 11 → 9 stitches between increases
  • Round 12 → 10 stitches between increases
  • Round 13 → 11 stitches between increases
  • Round 14 → 12 stitches between increases
  • Round 15 → 13 stitches between increases
  • Round 16 → 14 stitches between increases
  • Round 17 → 15 stitches between increases
  • Round 18 → 16 stitches between increases
  • Round 19 → 17 stitches between increases
  • Round 20 → 18 stitches between increases

The biggest takeaway from this list is that the number of stitches between increases is one more than the previous round. So if you plan to crochet a circle that’s more than 20 rounds, add one more stitch in between the increases for every additional round.

When you evenly space increases in each round, something very important is going on. This even distribution keeps the circle round and flat but it also means the stitch count is increasing by the number of stitches you started with.

Let’s pull in that double crochet example once again. We started with 10 double crochets in round one and increased to 20 stitches in round two. Following the even distribution of increases raises our stitch count to 30 at the end of round 3; 40 at the end of round 4; 50 at the end of round 5 and so on.

Don’t feel like counting stitches?

The placement of every increase happens in the second stitch of the increase in the previous round. Knowing this makes things even easier. You don’t even need to count!

How to Crochet a Circle: Rounds 3 and Up

Since there is a “magic formula” to crochet circles, the pattern for rounds three and up will be nearly identical no matter what stitch you use.

Let’s pick up where we left off at the end of round 2 with our double crochet circle example.

Round 3: Ch 3 (counts as a dc). *Make 2 dc in the next st. Make 1 dc in the st after that. Rep from * to the last st. Make 2 dc in the last st. Join with a slst to the third ch. (30 sts)

Round 4: Ch 3 (counts as a dc). Make 1 dc in the next st. *Make 2 dc in the next st. Make 1 dc in the next 2 sts. Rep from * to the last st. Make 2 dc in the last st. Join with a slst to the third ch. (40 sts)

Round 5: Ch 3 (counts as a dc). Make 1 dc in the next 2 sts. *Make 2 dc in the next st. Make 1 dc in the next 3 sts. Rep from * to the last st. Make 2 dc in the last st. Join with a slst to the third ch.(50 sts)

Round 6: Ch 3 (counts as a dc). Make 1 dc in the next 3 sts. *Make 2 dc in the next st. Make 1 dc in the next 4 sts. Rep from * to the last st. Make 2 dc in the last st. Join with a slst to the third ch. (60 sts)

Notice that there are three numbers changing from one round to the next: the number of double crochets you initially make after the chain; the number of stitches after the increase; and the total stitch count at the end.

In our example here, the chain three at the beginning of the round counts as a double crochet. It is the first stitch of each round, and it counts as a stitch between increases.

And it’s no surprise that the total number of stitches at the end of the round increases by 10 – the number of stitches we started with in round one.

How to Add More Rounds to the Circle

In order to add more rounds to this circle, simply take this pattern “template” and add one more to each bolded number per round.

Ch 3 (counts as a dc). Make 1 dc in the next 3 sts. *Make 2 dc in the next st. Make 1 dc in the next 4 sts. Rep from * to the last st. Make 2 dc in the last st. Join with a slst to the third ch.

What is the First and Last Stitch of the Round?

When following a pattern there is a very important clue that’ll tell you whether the starting chain at the beginning of the round counts as a stitch or not.

If your pattern says…

“join with a slst to the (first/second/third) chain”, the chain counts as a stitch and the chain is the first stitch of the round.

Or if your pattern says…

“join with a slst to the first stitch”, the chain does NOT count as a stitch and your first stitch of the round will be the first one you crochet.

For circles that are made with double crochets, it’s a lot less common for the chain to not count as a stitch. However, for single crochet circles, it’s more common for the chain to not count as a stitch. Just follow the cues in your pattern.

The easiest way to figure out which stitch is the last is to count the stitches. For example, in our third round double crochet circle example, we know there will be 30 stitches total so the 30th stitch will be the last.

This leads us to one last question…

Where Do I Join to Finish the Round?

Knowing where to join with a slip stitch to finish each round in your crochet circles goes back to your turning chain.

How to crochet a Circle Basics: Where to slip stitch when the starting chain counts as a stitch.
Slip stitch placement to join the round when the starting chain counts as a stitch
How to Crochet a Circle Basics: Where to slip stitch when the starting chain doesn't count as a stitch.
Slip stitch placement to join the round when the starting chain doesn’t count as a stitch.

If the starting chain counts as a stitch, you will make the slip stitch in the last chain. If the starting chain doesn’t count as a stitch, you will make the slip stitch in the first stitch of the round.

How to Crochet a Circle In a Spiral

In our previous examples, we joined with a slip stitch to complete the round. But there’s another way to crochet a circle – in what’s called a spiral.

Crocheting in a spiral means that you don’t join with the first stitch to finish the round. You simply jump right into the next round by working directly on the next stitch. In this section we’ll explore how to crochet a circle in a spiral.

You’ll see this technique used a lot in amigurumi – crochet stuffed animals – like this cute little crochet bear pattern. I also like to use it to create visual interest in a pattern like you see in my spiral crown crochet hat.

There is one potential downside to crocheting a circle in a spiral – the jog.

The “jog” is the word we use to explain the stair step look at the end of the round. It’s more obvious the taller the stitch is. One clever way to fix this is to work a series of shorter and shorter stitches to graduate the step-down.

It’s not a perfect fix, but it’ll get the job done.

So if you want a cleaner-looking circle, you may want to go with the join at the end of the round method. Otherwise, a spiral is perfectly fine for single crochet circles, for amigurumi projects, and for circles that you later turn into other shapes (like a hat for example).

To help you keep track of the first stitch of the round when crocheting a circle in a spiral, use a stitch marker. Bobby pins are great for this, or a locking stitch marker like these is my favorite.

What Happens If You Stop Increasing?

As long as you follow the magic increasing formula for how to crochet a circle, it will continue to grow. But what happens if you stop increasing or better yet, change where you increase within each round?

When you stop increasing, your circle will transform from a flat circle to a tube. An example of this is how a basic crochet hat is made from crown to band.

It’s important to note though, that just because you stop increasing doesn’t mean you’ll see immediate results. The shorter the stitch, the more rounds it will take to notice this change in shape.

You won’t have to worry about any of this when following a pattern. But it’s worth exploring a little further if you like to improvise your own patterns.

The stitch and gauge have the biggest influence on when you see a change in shape after you stop increasing. But when planning a project, you can generalize when this change in shape will occur:

  • With single crochet stitches, stop increasing approximately 6 rounds before you want the shape to change.
  • With half double crochet stitches, stop increasing approximately 3 rounds before you want the shape to change.
  • With double crochet stitches, stop increasing about 1 round before you want the shape to change.

When you change the placement of increases, you’ll change the shape of the circle.

An uneven placement of increases in a circle leads to a circle that’s not perfectly round. You’ll see this quite often in amigurumi projects during the shaping of certain elements.

Fewer increases in a circle lead to a conical shape. If you find your circle isn’t laying perfectly flat, leaving out an increase or two (or three!) is likely the cause.

*Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases made through these links. Please note that prices and availability of products are subject to change. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support the content on this site. I only recommend products that I have personally used and genuinely believe in. Thank you for your support!