How to crochet curves using short rounds, an amigurumi tutorial from Hooked by Kati

How To Curve Using Short Rounds | Video Tutorial

Using short rounds to curve 3-dimensional pieces is a very useful tool for shaping amigurumi. Many Hooked by Kati crochet patterns use this technique for things like tails and legs.

What do you do when you need to curve a leg at the knee, but you still want the leg to be all one piece? You have to find a way to create a corner in a tube without changing the diameter of the leg.

Math, of course!

How to crochet curves using short rounds, an amigurumi tutorial from Hooked by Kati

The inside curve of the leg will need to be very short, maybe only one round. But the outside curve of the leg will need to be long and have many rounds in order to curve all the way around the pivot point.

So, how do you add rounds to only one side of a tube?

Short rounds.

A short round is one half round worked the wrong way (wrong side facing). You stop “short” of going all the way around, leaving half the round unworked. Then when you work back the right way again, you have added to only one side of the tube, causing a curve.

The more extra short rows (or rounds in this case) you add, the more dramatic your corner will be.

There’s another problem though.

If you have added several rows to one side of the tube, then you would have a HUGE gap to try to close when you continued to work in the round.

To avoid this, each extra short round needs to have one stitch left unworked on each end, creating a stair-step. By working into the unworked stitches on the end of each short round, you slowly angle the corner so it bends to tube around in a smooth curve.


Curving with Short Rounds

This tutorial features Red Heart Super Saver yarn and using a Furls Odyssey G (4.00 mm) hook.

Keep practicing and you will have it down in no time!


Now Show Off Your Skills!

I’d love to see your beautiful fluffy fur! Take a picture and upload it to Instagram with the hashtag #hookedbykati or tag me directly with @hookedbykati. Your beautiful stitch work could be featured in our weekly newsletter!

Want to use your new skill in a few amigurumi patterns? Here are a few Hooked by Kati patterns that use short rounds to add curves!

Have more questions? I’m always here to help! 

Yarn on, 

Kati

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14 Comments

  1. I am stuck on row 11 and 12, I understand the even all around and the additional 7sc but how is row 12 on WS? Am I doing row 11 wrong?

    1. did you receive an answer to this part? I don’t understand the instructions for round 11 on the horns.

  2. Hi Katy, I appreciate your tutorial on short rounds and wondered if there is a “formula” or rule of thumb for different angles such as 45 vs 90? A dog or horse body to neck for example. I guess you do increases if you want the turn to be larger say a chest?

    Thanks
    Jerry

    1. VERY good question!! Yes, there is a formula. You always start with a short round that is halfway around the base round.
      Short Rnd sts = number of short rounds it will take to create a 90 degree angle.
      90 / number of short rnds = degree each short round will create.

      Use this formula to create your desired angle, but keep in mind that every other one is wrong side facing, so you will have to decide what is more important — the exact degree of the bend or the look of the next round worked even.

      Enjoy!

  3. Hi Kati: I purchased Vinent the Dragon pattern. I watched your video seveal times. I still have questions about the short rounds. The pattern says two rounds of sc, the same amount of stitches each row, not decreasing each row. In your video, you decreased each row down to one stitch. Is this what I should do? How do i pick up unworked sts from two rounds back if I don’t leave stitches unworked? I am so sorry, I must be more of a newbie than I thought. I would appreciate your help.

    1. The Vincent the Dragon pattern (as of 9/2021) states:

      Rnd 6: [3 sc, inc] twice, turn. (10)
      Rnd 7: (WS)(Short rnd) (see Pattern Notes) Do not chain, 5 sc, leave remaining 5 sts unworked, turn. (5)
      Rnd 8: (RS)(Short rnd) Do not chain, 5 sc. (5)
      Rnd 9: (RS)Continuing on unworked sts from two rounds back, 10 sc. (10)
      Rnd 10: [4 sc, inc] twice. (12)

      So
      r6 you would have done your standard increase round for a final 10 sts.

      r7 is a short row -that’s the “(Short rnd)” part – working in the wrong direction (working your hook from the inside to the outside of the piece) – that’s the “(WS)” part. You work 5 of the 10 sts from r6 leaving 5 sts unworked – these are the 5 sts you’ll pick up in r9 on the “Continuing” part.

      r8 is a short row working in the correct direction – the “(RS)” part – for 5 sc. Those are the 5 sts from r7 that you worked in the wrong direction and only those stitches. So you now have a built-up section of the 2 rows (yes, rows because you turned your work) of 5 sc from r7 and r8 and 5 unworked stitches in r6 that you will work into later.

      r9 continuing on the same round (and direction) as 8, work 5 sc in the unworked sts from r6. So from the built up part, sc straight into the next unworked st. From your marker, this would be st6 of r6. Continue to the end of the round. You’ve now stitched 5 sc in the buildup at step 8 and 5 sc in the main round at step 9 for a total 10 sc listed as “(10)” at the end of r9

      r10 is another standard increase round for a final 12 sts.

      Sometimes short rounds decrease into unworked stitches, sometimes you work say 4sts, then 6sts, then 8sts of a 10 st round, then work the complete 10sts. Sometimes short rows are built on top of other short rows. It all depends on how the designer wants the curves to run, or how much curve they want and what direction they want. That version of Kati’s short round video tuturial is about what short rounds look like when crocheting, but aren’t the only way short rounds are built.

  4. This is brilliant I’m in the process for making a lizard and the instructions for the curve were baffling but now I understand – thank you so much for making it clear. I will have a play with it and see how I get on. Love your patterns.

  5. going by written pattern Vincents tail doesn’t curve like this-It was 1) WS 7 sc R2) RS 7 sc) r3)continue around I’m on his tail now?

  6. I am so glad I found your site with all these tips. I love making 3D patterns (especially dragons, ie Vincent) but have struggled with many aspects in making them. Looking through and seeing all your tutorials beautifully explaining and showing your techniques, I know I can make things much easier. Thank you so much. PS I bought Vincent’s pattern yesterday and have his head made. Now on to his neck. Love how he’s looking!

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