Crocheting all around, or crocheting evenly around, is usually used as a way of evening out the edges of a flat piece and give it a more finished and neat look.
Sometimes is used to add details like in the signs for the Heart Shaped Flowers!
The goal is to work the stitches in such a way that they are evenly spaced around the piece and we have the same number of stitches on the top and bottom, and on both sides.
The orange piece I’m using in the pictures has 8 rows of 15 stitches each.
I’m using a different color to crochet all around the orange piece just for clearness purposes. Depending on what the pattern calls for you can change the color or not.
I’m using single crochet, but the stitch used depends, once again, on what the pattern calls for.
1. Crochet on the top row as usual until reaching the penultimate stitch.
2. Work 3 stitches on the last stitch. This number may vary, but, in my opinion, 3 stitches is the ideal number to turn the corner.
3. Working down the side: always insert the hook between 2 rows. The 1st stitch is worked between the 1st and 2nd row, the 2nd stitch is worked between the 2nd and 3rd row, and so on.
4. In this case the flat piece has 8 rows, this means that I should have 7 stitches on the side of the piece.
5. Work 3 stitches into the 1st stitch of the bottom of the piece.
6. Because I worked the 1st row of the flat piece in the back of the chain, the bottom and top of the piece match. Work the bottom of the piece just like the top, inserting the hook under both loops of the stitch.
7. Crochet on the bottom until reaching the penultimate stitch.
8. Work 3 stitches on the last stitch of the bottom of the piece.
9. Work the second side the same way as the first, always inserting the hook between rows (7 stitches).
10. For the last corner, work 2 stitches in the same space as the very 1st stitch.
11. Slip stitch to the 1st stitch (unless the pattern indicates otherwise).The round is complete and we have the same number of stitches in the top and bottom (13), and the same number of stitches on the sides (7).
Have any questions? Leave a comment below!
If you have 8 rows and you stitch in between rows and 3sc in the corner stitches, shouldn’t you have 6 stitches down the side? I don’t see where the 7th stitch would come in. Can you explain please?
Hi Missy,
The top corners are worked on top of the 1st and last stitches of the last row, and the bottom corners are worked between the 1st and last stitches of the first row and the initial chain. The stitches down the side are worked in the following manner: 1st stitch between the 1st and 2nd rows; 2nd stitch between the 2nd and 3rd rows; 3rd stitch between the 3rd and 4th rows; 4th stitch between the 4th and 5th rows; 5th stitch between the 5th and 6th rows; 6th stitch between the 6th and 7th rows; and the 7th stitch between the 7th and 8th rows.
Hope that this helps! =)