How to Crochet a Perfect Circle in Amigurumi
Hi there! If you’re new to amigurumi, one of the most important skills you can learn is how to crochet a perfect circle – flat and even. This is the foundation for so many shapes in amigurumi – heads, bodies, bases – and mastering it will make all your projects look polished and professional.
I’ve been crocheting for over 10 years, and the biggest secret I’ve learned for making truly smooth circles is how and where you place your increases – specifically, arranging them in a staggered, chessboard-like pattern to keep your circle perfectly flat. Let me show you exactly why this matters, and walk you through it step by step so you can get beautiful results every time.
If you find this guide helpful, please consider pinning my image before we start – it really helps support my work. Thank you so much in advance!
Why the Placement of Increases Is the Key
In amigurumi, circles are typically worked in a continuous spiral, expanding by adding increases in each round. But here’s the crucial detail most beginners overlook:
To crochet a perfect circle that lies flat, you cannot place your increases directly on top of the increases from the previous round.
If you stack increases in the same spot round after round, you’ll get visible “spokes”, bumps, or puckering that ruins the smooth shape.
Instead, you need to stagger your increases – offsetting them so each new increase lands between the increases of the previous round, like a chessboard pattern where no two increases line up vertically.
This staggered placement distributes the extra stitches evenly around the circle, helping it stay beautifully flat and smooth.
Most well-written amigurumi patterns or charts will include this special scheme for staggered increases. Learning to read and apply it carefully is what separates a beginner’s bumpy circle from an expert’s perfect one.
How Amigurumi Circles Are Made
We always begin with a magic ring and work single crochets into it, then increase evenly around each round.
If you’re not familiar with crochet abbreviations like sc (single crochet) or inc (increase), check out this helpful list of crochet abbreviations used by designers before continuing.
Here’s the typical increase pattern many people start with:
- Round 1: 6 sc in magic ring (6)
- Round 2: inc in each stitch (12)
- Round 3: [1 sc, inc] repeat 6 times (18)
- Round 4: [2 sc, inc] repeat 6 times (24)
- Round 5: [3 sc, inc] repeat 6 times (30)
- Round 6: [4 sc, inc] repeat 6 times (36)
This is fine for practicing counting, but notice: these increases stack directly on top of each other, causing bumps or corners.
The crucial improvement is to stagger your increases – so each one falls between the increases of the previous round. This small adjustment is the secret to a perfectly flat and smooth circle.
How to Crochet a Perfect Circle with Staggered Increases
Below is a round-by-round plan showing exactly how to offset your increases for a flat circle. As you follow these instructions, imagine the increases arranged in a staggered, chessboard-like pattern – this “staggering” is exactly what prevents bumps and keeps your circle smooth and even.
- Round 1: Make a magic ring, 6 sc into it. Pull tight. (6 stitches)
- Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch around (12 stitches).
- Round 3: [1 Sc, 1 Inc] repeat 6 times (18 stitches).
- Round 4: 1 Sc, 1 Inc, [2 Sc, 1 Inc] repeat 5 times, 1 Sc (24 stitches). In this round, we know that increases need to be made every 2 stitches. By dividing 2 in half, we see that we should start with 1 single crochet and also end the round with 1 single crochet.
- Round 5: [3 Sc, 1 Inc] repeat 6 times (30 stitches).
- Round 6: 2 Sc, 1 Inc, [4 Sc, 1 Inc] repeat 5 times, 2 Sc (36 stitches). Here, increases happen every 4 stitches. Dividing 4 by 2 gives 2, so we start the round with 2 single crochets and end it with 2 single crochets.
- Round 7: [5 Sc, 1 Inc] repeat 6 times (42 stitches).
- Round 8: 3 Sc, 1 Inc, [6 Sc, 1 Inc] repeat 5 times, 3 Sc (48 stitches). In this round, increases occur every 6 stitches. Half of 6 is 3, so we begin and end the round with 3 single crochets.
- Round 9: [7 Sc, 1 Inc] repeat 6 times (54 stitches).
- Round 10: 4 Sc, 1 Inc, [8 Sc, 1 Inc] repeat 5 times, 4 Sc (60 stitches). Here, increases come every 8 stitches. Dividing 8 by 2 gives 4, meaning the round should start and end with 4 single crochets.
You keep increasing the number of single crochets between increases each round while always offsetting the increases – arranging them in a staggered, chessboard-like pattern to maintain a perfectly flat circle.
The photo below illustrates this chessboard-like, staggered placement of increases visually, making it easier to understand how to space them evenly.
Pro Tips for Perfect Circles
✨ Want to crochet a perfect circle? Use a stitch marker to mark your first stitch each round – this helps you keep track of the offset increases. See this tutorial by The Crochet Crowd for tips on using stitch markers effectively.
✨ Maintain even tension – stitches that are too tight cause curling, while too-loose stitches create holes.
✨ Count your stitches carefully every round to ensure increases are placed correctly.
✨ Gently flatten your work as you go to spot any puckering or rippling early on.
✨ Using the X-shaped single crochet stitch (also called the “crossed” single crochet) can make your circle even smoother and more uniform by tightening gaps between stitches.
Why This Matters in Amigurumi
Your circle is the base for most spherical and oval shapes in amigurumi. When increases stack up, your shape warps, bulges, or forms unwanted angles.
But when you stagger your increases, your piece stays beautifully round, evenly stuffed, and truly professional-looking. This is one of those little techniques that takes your crochet from “homemade” to “handcrafted.”
Final Thoughts from an Experienced Crocheter
Mastering staggered increases is the true key to crochet a perfect circle. Don’t worry if it feels tricky at first – it gets much easier with practice. Be patient with yourself, count carefully, and enjoy the rhythm of your stitches.
Before long, you’ll see a huge improvement in your amigurumi shapes.
Happy crocheting! 🧶✨
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