From crochet.about.com - Crocheting in the Round

Crocheting in the Round - Basics For Increasing

When crocheting circles (rounds), what can you do to keep your crocheted piece from buckling in the middle?

Increases in the pattern keep the work lying flat. Most patterns are written with the correct amount of increases and there is no problem. If buckling does occur, however, try adding more (or less, if needed) increases in your rounds until this corrects the problem.

Common Increasing Formula

Increases start on the second round. This example uses double crochet stitches: An increase is made by making 2 dc in a same stitch. On the second round, work 2 dc in every dc around the circle. On round 3, make an increase on every other stitch - in other words, (dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc) around.

More of this Feature • Back To Main Page     Related Resources • Keeping Track Of Rounds • Basic Flat Circle Pattern • How To Single Crochet • How To Double Crochet • How To Weave In Ends • Free Patterns

As the rounds become wider, there are more stitches in between each increase. (Round 4 has two dc stitches between the increases, while round 5 has three dc stitches between the 2 dc in next dc increases. And so on.)

These Southwestern Duo Potholder Patterns are an example of using rounds with increases.

Free for your own personal use only. copyright 1997, 2004 Sandi Marshall, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Per copyright law, do not sell or redistribute the contents of this page (including the diagrams) in any form, be it electronic, on another web site, photocopying or otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. If someone else wants the crochet instructions on this page, please give them the URL of the main page or the URL of this printing page so that they can come here for themselves and explore all that this site has to offer. Thank you. URL of the main page is http://crochet.about.com/library/blround.htm
URL of this printing page is http://crochet.about.com/library/nround.htm

Questions about copyright? See:
http://whatiscopyright.org - see section: "Copyrights and the Internet"
Law about copyright: an overview
Digital Theft Deterrance and Copyright Damages Improvement Act
U.S. Government Copyright Office web site - http://www.loc.gov/copyright

Crochet Home Page: http://crochet.about.com