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!

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!

• Vincent the Dragon
• Wonder the Birthday Dragon
• Charlie the Celestial Dragon
• Schnitzel the Dachshund
• Murdock the Kelpie

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

Yarn on, 

Kati

Kati Brown

Kati is the designer behind Hooked by Kati. With thousands of patterns sold around the world, Kati prides herself in creating innovative, easy-to-follow amigurumi patterns. She has designed for several publications, including Crochet!, Crochet World, Simply Crochet, and I Like Crochet. Kati finds her inspiration in science fiction, video games, and numerous visits to the zoo — all passions she shares with her husband and two boys.