The Spiral

THE SPIRAL

The Spiral
c2004 Sandra Petit, http://www.crochetcabana.com

The spiral is an interesting bit of work. When you make a granny square or other square that begins as a circle, you usually join to one round, then chain up to bring your round to the correct height. The spiral does not work this way. You do NOT chain to bring up to height. Therefore, it is easy to get confused as to where you are.

The first thing you need to do is get a safety pin, or paper clip, or stitch marker of some kind. Even wrapping a piece of contrasting yarn around the stitch is fine. You just need to mark the first stitch of each round so you know where to start your next one.

You will not be joining with a slip stitch, but working the first stitch of your next round right into that first stitch from the previous round.

I've done the tutorial in steps with pictures to make it (I hope) a little bit easier to follow.

Figure 1

Round 1: chain 4, join with a slip stitch to the beginning chain, chain 3, make a second dc. Then stop, get a safety pin, and place it on the first chain-3 so you will know that is where you began. Then continue working dc in the center of the circle until you have a total of 12 stitches, including the chain. (Fig 1)

Reminder: You are not working into stitches, but in the hole in the center of the circle

Figure 2 (before moving the pin)

Round 2: Now you are back at that beginning chain. IMPORTANT: DO NOT CHAIN TO BRING UP TO HEIGHT.

You will also NOT join with a slip stitch.

See the safety pin? Remove the pin, work a double crochet right in the top of that chain. That joins the first round to the second and continues your piece.

Then place the safety pin in the double crochet you just made to mark the beginning of your new round. Make another dc in that same place.

Figure 3

To clarify, you have made TWO dc in the top of your beginning chain. The picture above shows four dc, two in the beginning chain and two in the next dc. (Fig 3)

(Note: You can wait until you make the second dc to move the pin, but don't wait too long or you will forget which one was first.)

Figure 4

Work 2 dc in each stitch around (24 dc)

Round 3: When you see the safety pin you know to stop and not work into that stitch yet. Remove the pin. Work a dc in the top of that chain, then replace the pin on the stitch you just made. That begins the next round.

You will then work 2 dc in the next stitch. Continue in that manner like so: *1 dc in next st, 2 dc in next st *
all the way around until you hit the pin again (36 dc)

Figure 5

Round 4: When you hit the pin again, what do you do? Right. Remove the pin, make your dc in the top of the chain and then replace the pin

Figure 6

Now work another dc in the top of that chain, for a total of two.

You will continue like this: (1 dc in ea of next 2 sts, 2 dc in next st) until you get to the last two stitches before the pin

Figure 7

This picture above shows 3 stitches remaining before the pin. This is the fourth round.
Dc in the next stitch, then hdc in the next dc, sc in the next dc, then remove the pin and join with a slip stitch to the top of the beginning chain.

Here is your pattern. This pattern uses the standard method of increasing on rounds to keep your work lying flat -- 2 sts in each stitch for the first round, two stitches in every other stitch for the second, 2 stitches in every third stitch for the next round, 2 sts in every fourth stitch for the next until the last few sts where you will even out the round before joining.

To make this method easier to understand, here's how it would look in crochet talk:
1st: sts in ring
2nd: 2 dc in ea st
3rd: dc, 2 dc
4th: dc, dc, 2 dc

Of course in a regular pattern, worked in the round, you would join and chain up, but the idea is the same.

Spiral Coaster

Materials: small amt worsted weight cotton yarn, H hook, #16 needle

Gauge: 4dc = 1", 2 rows = 1"

Ch 4, slip stitch into last ch from hk to form a ring

Rnd 1: ch 3, work 22 dc in ring (12 sts). Place safety pin on first st to mark beginning of round. Move it up with each round.

Rnd 2: (do not chain up to height) work 2 dc in top of chain, 2 dc in ea dc of previous round (24 dc)

Rnd 3: * dc in 1st dc, 2 dc in next dc, rep from * to end of round ( 36 dc)

Rnd 4: * 2 dc in first dc, 1 dc in ea of next 2 dc, rep from * to last 2 sts, hdc in next dc, sc in next dc, slip stitch to join in beg st of last rnd

12/05/07