Four Ways to Start a Crochet Circle

Something that's awesome about crochet is how easy it is to work in the round. Hats, motifs, amigurumi, and much more can all easily be started as a circle. Did you know there are several different ways to start a crochet circle? I'm sure there are more, since crochet is so flexible and ever-expanding, but today I'm going to teach you four ways to start a crochet circle so you can work in the round.

Number One: The Chain 2 Method

Start by chaining 2.

Skip the first stitch (the one closest to the hook) and work your first round into the second stitch.

Number Two: The Chain 4 Method

Start by chaining 4.

Slip stitch into the last chain stitch (the first chain stitch you created) to form a ring. Now you're ready to create a turning chain of the appropriate height and then work your first round into the center of the chain ring.

Here you can see my hook inserted through the middle of the ring.

Here you can see my first round underway. The hole left in the center of this circle will be larger than if you used the chain 2 method, which could be either desirable or undesirable depending on the project.

Number Three: The Magic Circle Method

This is my very favorite method of starting a circle. I have a full, in-depth tutorial available here. The hole left using this method is barely noticeable at all.

Number Four: The Formed Ring Method

Did you know that you can crochet onto any ring? You can! Metal, plastic, wood -- they're all fair game. Just slip stitch right onto the ring and crochet away. If you need a crochet circle with a wide center and a lot of strength, consider using a preformed ring.