Knit and Crochet Ever After

Invisible Straight Seam In Single Crochet When Working In The Round

Have you ever worked a single crochet beanie in the round and your seam came out like this?

Does your seam travel at a 45-degree angle?

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This is the seam you are looking for.

This tutorial will show you how to make a straight seam when you are working in single crochet in the round and are joining on every round. It will also show you how to make that seam nearly invisible. This technique is crucial in order to follow any of my Fair Isle crochet patterns but can also be used for a variety of other kinds of projects.

Important Note: Be sure to tighten the SL ST and CH 1 as much as possible. If you find that the seam is slanting to the right, you are not tightening enough.

Video Tutorial

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54 Comments

  • Amy
    November 23, 2016 at 9:29 pm Reply

    Hello,
    I seem to be adding a stitch each way around. I’m using a stitch marker, so I know I’m ending in the right spot. Do you join with a slip stitch into the Ch1 of the round? Or do you skip the previous slip stitch and the Ch1 when you join? Thanks.

      • Jocelyn Brown
        July 5, 2018 at 4:33 pm

        I love this technique, and I understand that that the sc in the same st counts as a st, but what I don’t understand is whether the first tightened sl st counts as a st, or if the last sl st counts as a st? Or if neither of them counts as a stitch. I’m so confused about that part of it, so I don’t know how to count my stitches. Please help!

      • Deja Joy
        July 6, 2018 at 4:36 am

        Hi there, neither the CH 1 and SL ST will count as a ST. When you work your scs you will make the same amount of the previous round. Be sure to count until you get used to seeing how the end of the round looks or you might add a stitch because the sl st can look like a big space to work into. 🙂

  • Carol G
    July 26, 2016 at 5:07 am Reply

    Thank you Deja for this great video. I’m new to crochet and have only made a couple of hats and a few other attempts at things I’ve unpulled. This looks so easy and I’ll definitely be trying it on my next project. Thanks again.

  • Cheryl D. Floyd
    February 18, 2016 at 3:55 pm Reply

    Thanks for this great video! I was having trouble with a slanting seam, albeit slanting the other direction, even while doing this exactly as you taught. However, I knew I must be doing something differently than you. I thought it might be the way I tension my yarn.

    So, today I watched this video for about the tenth time, but this time being very observant of how you wrap and tension your yarn. Sure enough…you and I don’t wrap and tension the same! Your technique allows the yarn more ease and flexibility. You wrap the yarn around the hook, whereas I hold the yarn taut and manipulate it with a very actively moving hook. I do a lot of tugging. The result is that the yarn itself, or rather my tension on it, was pulling the piece out of shape. Once I loosened up my technique, the seam became much more straight.

    • Deja Jetmir
      February 18, 2016 at 4:38 pm Reply

      I’m so glad you shared this. I do have people comment that their seam is slanting in the opposite way and I know one reason is not tightening down the SL ST and CH 1 tight enough (it pushes the stitch to the right a little causing the slant), but this was one I hadn’t even thought of. This will help out very much with anyone who contacts me with the same problem. I truly appreciate you taking the time to share. 🙂

  • Shannon
    September 13, 2015 at 8:24 am Reply

    I’m trying but it’s not working! It is still slanting. I’m confused – the tutorial says to work SC in every stitch of the round, including last stitch. But some of the commenters are talking about skipping the last stitch – so which is it? Please help!

    • Deja Jetmir
      September 13, 2015 at 8:36 am Reply

      Hi there, you will be working into every stitch. However, the final spot of your round looks like a stitch but it really isn’t. The best thing to do until you get used to seeing it and knowing not to work into it is to count your stitches during the round so you know when to stop. This will keep you from making that extra stitch. 🙂

      • Shannon
        September 15, 2015 at 5:58 am

        Hmm. After crocheting most of the foot of a sock, and having tried everything I can think of including your instructions, it’s just not working correctly for me. Maybe it doesn’t work with fingering weight yarn? I make pretty tiny, tight stitches as it is for my socks. I’m going to keep trying, but I think it might only work if I turn after CH1. That’s what I’m going to do for the leg portion of the sock.

        Thanks for your tutorial!

      • Deja Jetmir
        September 15, 2015 at 6:29 am

        Are you working an even number of stitches around on each round or increasing and decreasing as you go? I didn’t realize you were making socks. If there is increasing and decreasing your seam will travel with the added and removed stitches. This technique is used for rounds were the stitches are all the same amount. Let me know. 🙂

      • Shannon
        September 15, 2015 at 6:51 am

        I’m keeping the stitch count the same, no increases or decreases. I appreciate all your help in trying to fix the problem!

  • sheila
    August 20, 2015 at 8:25 am Reply

    This is great, I have been trying to figure this out. I am working on a cowl to try your way. So my count wont get messed up since in the beginning of the row you are inserting the first stitch in with the chain 2 (or 3) which in a lot of pattern count as the first stitch?

  • Brynal
    August 2, 2015 at 10:38 pm Reply

    Hi Deja, Great idea and video, thank you for the tip!! That beanie looks superb, do you mind sharing the pattern.
    Thanks a ton again

  • Ann Polin
    June 17, 2015 at 4:24 pm Reply

    I believe it is slanting to the right as I am working on it. It appears that when I skip the last stitch and do the slip stich in the first stitch by doing that it is pulling the new first stitch to the right.

    • Deja Jetmir
      June 25, 2015 at 12:25 pm Reply

      It sounds like you are working them correctly. The only reason I could see it pulling to the right is if you are missing the last stitch of the round. But you said you are counting your stitches so I’m not too sure what is happening. Can you send a picture?

  • Ann Polin
    June 17, 2015 at 11:28 am Reply

    Hi – I’ve tried this technique quite a few times on a hat I am working on and I can’t seem to get the seam straight no matter what I do. It is SC on every row, with some increases here and there. I have tried as the video and comments suggest – SC all the way around, then slip stitch into first stitch of previous round, then chain 1 (pulling both slip stitch and chain 1 tight), then starting new round by doing SC in same stitch as slip stitch was done in, then continuing in next SC and then around, and then to get count correct skipping last SC on last round and instead slip stitching into 1st SC of last round (skipping the last SC and the last round chain 1). No matter what I do, it still slants around and is not invisible. What am I missing? It is especially obvious when I stop the increase rows and just do the non increasing rows before I get to the brim. I know there must be a step I am still not doing correctly. Any suggestions?

  • Danielle
    October 27, 2014 at 6:40 pm Reply

    When I’m joining do I join to the top of the chain or the first stitch.
    I did a pattern that turned out to have a horrible diagonal seam. The pattern said…chain 2-which counts as hdc. Then hdc around. Should I join at the top of the chain or the first hdc??

    • Deja Jetmir
      October 28, 2014 at 4:59 am Reply

      For the single crochet you would join in the first SC, but for HDC it is pretty much impossible to make a straight seam. IF you watch the HDC straight seam video you’ll see what I mean. Unless you turn after every round, the HDC will always have a tilt. I think it has something to do with the three loops of the HDC creating bulk that pushes the stitch over.

  • Dorothy
    September 20, 2014 at 6:58 am Reply

    Love this ! Thank you, thank you thank you. I have been crocheting for 40 years and this is the first time I’ve seen this. Makes my items look much more professional 🙂

    • Deja Jetmir
      September 11, 2014 at 6:56 pm Reply

      HI there, the CH 1 will not count as a stitch. In almost every instance, you won’t count a CH 1 as a stitch. It will usually only count if the designer tells you it does on a certain pattern. All other larger stitches it can go either way. Check each pattern for guidance. 🙂

  • Sue
    July 7, 2014 at 9:51 pm Reply

    Hi, I love the owl basket, but have had so much trouble getting the numbers on each row, and figuring out how to count my stitches! so, have pulled it out so many times, I think I am just going to keep on going this time, and put a plastic liner in it to keep it’s shape, I am using 2 strands of #6 super bulky yarn, there is no way I could use 4 strands!

    • crocheteverafter
      July 8, 2014 at 5:45 am Reply

      Hi there, using a stitch marker will definitely help when working in spirals. 🙂 Just put it in the first stitch of the round so that if you lose count during, you can pull out just to the beginning of the round.

  • Lisa
    June 25, 2014 at 5:39 pm Reply

    Hello I’ve watched your tutorial and understand what to do (well I think I do) but I’m crocheting a beanie that is sc and ch1 all the way around and the seam is not looking straight, is the ch1 putting it out? or would this pattern of sc, ch1, not matter and Im doing something else wrong, please help 🙂

  • Lisa
    March 23, 2014 at 9:22 am Reply

    That solved the mystery! I had to put a stitch marker in to convince myself that gap wasn’t in fact the last stitch from the previous round. I tend to crochet loosely, so I have to tighten it down a bit so it’s not noticeable. Thank you!! I can finally buy some of those Fair Isle patterns of yours I’ve been drooling over!

  • Lisa
    March 20, 2014 at 5:24 pm Reply

    Help Deja! I can not tell you how many times I’ve watched your tutorial over the past few months, but no matter what I do I end up with an extra stitch. I end up skipping the final stitch in the round so my stitch remains straight. What am I doing wrong?

    • crocheteverafter
      March 20, 2014 at 8:27 pm Reply

      Hi there, though I am sure you are, but I want to make sure, are you counting your stitches as you work all the way around? Usually when making the straight seam, the last spot looks like a stitch should go there, but in actuality there will be no stitch in that big gap. Once you join it will disappear. Counting your stitches every round until you get used to seeing where to make your last stitch will usually solve the problem of the extra stitch. If that is not it, I need a little more info on what might be causing the problem. 🙂

  • Bodil B
    February 26, 2014 at 1:17 pm Reply

    Hi
    Greate video. I have done as you show, but my seam is not invisible or straight. What am I doing wrong?

    I use hdc. I have used 1ch, and 3 ch in the beginning. Finding that when I use 3 ch it showes less. Anyway, not the quality of your work :-/ Would love to get this right.

    Hope you can help me…

  • Candice
    October 30, 2013 at 9:09 am Reply

    Can this be done with dc in the round? I absolutely dislike the way the seam looks when I have to use the chain two as the first dc in a stich when I begin a new round. Thanks in advance!

    • crocheteverafter
      October 30, 2013 at 6:46 pm Reply

      Hi there, it can be used for DC. I have a tutorial on it. However it shows the chain 3 (or 2 depending on what you like to use) for the first stitch. But I’m going to be working on a video that shows an alternate way to work it without the chains. It will be a week or two, but I’ll have something soon on it. 🙂

      • Cathy
        January 31, 2014 at 12:44 pm

        Hi, Is the video available yet on an alternate way to work Invisible Straight Seam In double crochet when working in the round without the chains? Thanks so much.

      • crocheteverafter
        January 31, 2014 at 6:03 pm

        Hi there, not quite yet. I just finished up the #1 in the que. Next I have to do the male beanie video and then straight seam is after that. I’ve been on a roll with the videos lately so I should hopefully have it done and edited in the next week or so.

Let me know what you think