How to count the stitches and rounds during crocheting?

When you crochet in the round, it can be tricky to count your stitches. But counting is important to make sure that you’re on track for following your pattern.

Video Tutorial

Step By Step Photo Instructions

Each amigurumi project will ask you to crochet a fixed number of rounds and stitches as per the pattern.

This is how a normal round in any amigurumi project looks like.

Note: The loop on the hook doesn’t count!

So what does count?

You want to look for the ‘Vs. I like to start at the hook and work my way around. Here, I’ve highlighted the first V:

Keep counting until you’ve finished the round. If a stitch has been ‘stitched into’, that means it’s part of the previous round, so don’t count it!

The Amigurumi project consists patterns which can be written in rounds, rows, or combinations of both. If it is written in rounds then your project will be worked in a circular or oval shape. If it is written in rows it will be horizontal or vertical. (See Picture Above)

The Stitches in an amigurumi project are made by executing various crochet stitches such as single crochet stitch, chain stitch etc. Each round in the pattern will have some stitches. To count the number of stitches in the round, look for the ‘V’ shape formed in the stitch. One V counts as one stitch. Start counting from the beginning of the round where the stitch marker is placed. (See Picture above)

Just as the stitches, any amigurumi project consists of rounds which in turn consists of the stitches. For counting the rounds, you need to start from the center where you made the magic ring and count your way upwards. Each round will have a fixed number of stitches.