How to use the amigurumi shape stitch count generator
- Choose a sphere, a tube with closed ends or a cone, and pick centimeters or inches.
- Enter the finished width and, for a tube or cone, the height.
- Enter your gauge from a swatch: the stitches and the rounds in one unit of width and height.
- Read the round by round table with the number of stitches and the instruction for each round, and the total stitches.
Formula
Stitches around the widest part = pi x width x stitches per unit, rounded to a multiple of 6
Round 1 has 6 stitches; each increase round adds 6, with (sc j - 1, inc) x 6 where j = previous stitches / 6
A decrease round removes 6 with (sc j - 2, dec) x 6, where j is the previous stitches / 6
Straight rounds = height x rounds per unit (for a sphere, total rounds - the increase and decrease rounds)
Working in multiples of 6 keeps the increases and decreases evenly spaced around the piece, which is why the round counts go 6, 12, 18 and so on.
A ball, a tube and a cone
A ball 8 cm across at 2.6 stitches per cm has a circumference of 65.3 stitches, so the widest round has 66 stitches (11 groups of 6). With 2.8 rounds per cm there are 22 rounds: 6, 12, 18 and so on up to 66, one round of 66, then 60, 54 down to 6. The total is 792 stitches. Round 2 is "inc x 6", round 3 is "(sc 1, inc) x 6", round 11 is "(sc 9, inc) x 6", and round 13 is "(sc 9, dec) x 6".
A tube 5 cm across and 10 cm tall has 42 stitches around, 7 increase rounds, 28 straight rounds and 6 decrease rounds, which is 41 rounds and 1,470 stitches. A cone with a 6 cm base and 9 cm height has 48 stitches in the last of its 25 rounds and 606 stitches in all. A 3 inch ball at 6.5 stitches per inch has 60 stitches around and 720 in all.
Making the shape fit your gauge
Gauge changes everything. Crochet a small swatch in the stitch and yarn you will use, measure how many stitches and rounds fit in a centimeter or an inch, and enter those numbers. Amigurumi is worked tightly, so the gauge is usually higher than for other crochet. Stuffing stretches the stitches a little, so make a small test shape and adjust the width if needed.
For evenly spacing increases on a flat row see the knitting increase and decrease spacing calculator. The crochet chain calculator sizes a foundation chain, and the yarn yardage calculator estimates how much yarn a project takes.
How the rounds are built
The pattern starts with six stitches in a magic ring and grows by six stitches per round. Evenly spacing six increases around the round keeps the piece round instead of lumpy. A ball then works straight rounds at its widest part and mirrors the increases with decreases. A cone spreads its increases over all of its rounds. The counts are a starting pattern, and you can reshape them with extra straight rounds or different spacing.
Assumptions and limits
- The piece is worked in the round in single crochet from a magic ring, with six stitches in the first round.
- The stitch counts are multiples of 6 so that increases and decreases are evenly spaced.
- The height in rounds comes from the finished height and your round gauge. For a sphere the height equals the width.
- The page supports up to 240 stitches in a round and up to 400 rounds.
Frequently asked questions
How do I figure out the stitch count for an amigurumi ball?
Multiply pi by the width and by your stitches per unit to get the stitches around, then round to a multiple of 6. An 8 cm ball at 2.6 stitches per cm has 66 stitches in the widest round.
Why do the rounds go up by 6?
Adding 6 stitches in each increase round keeps the circle flat and round. Each round has one more group of 6 stitches than the one before.
How do I read (sc 3, inc) x 6?
Work 3 single crochet stitches and then an increase, and repeat that six times around the round.
What if my shape comes out too small or large?
Adjust the width or the gauge you enter and make a new pattern. A small test piece before the full project helps.