How to Crochet a Perfect Circle (aka JOIN)

Have you ever tried to crochet a perfect circle? The most common technique for crocheting round shapes is called crocheting in the round. When you crochet in the round you create a spiral going out as you increase. But you never get to the point of finishing a circle or closing it to make it nice and neat.

So, it's time to learn how to crochet in joined rounds! (Abbreviated as JOIN in my patterns)

Have you ever tried to crochet a perfect circle? The most common technique for crocheting round shapes is called crocheting in the round. When you crochet in the round you create a spiral going out as you increase. But, when you want to change color…

Like stripes? Even better, do you like perfect stripes? Crocheting a beanie or toy in joined rounds creates a project that is about as close to perfect as you can get in crochet.

Observe… the Perfect Stripe Beanie!

When I first learned, I found this a little bit harder than simply crocheting in the round, but I got the hang of it with a little practice.

When you crochet in the round, you simply crochet around and around in a circle going out like a spiral. In joined rounds, Each round begins and ends rather than going on continuously.

In a single crochet project, you make joined rounds by starting each round with a chain and ending each round with a slip stitch. In my patterns, I use an abbreviation for this procedure, JOIN. 

Check out the video below for a step-by-step demo.

Crocheting in joined rounds is the best way to crochet perfect stripes in a beanie! Practice your JOIN with the One Hour Triple Stripe Crochet Beanie Pattern.