Easy Round Coaster
Working in rounds opens up hats, baskets, amigurumi and mandalas — and a flat coaster is the friendliest place to start. You will add six stitches in every round so the circle stays flat, join each round with a slip stitch and check your count as you go.
- Skill level
- Beginner
- Finished size
- About 4.25 in (11 cm) across
- Yarn weight
- Medium / Worsted
- Hook
- 5 mm (US H-8)
- Time
- About 45 minutes
- Terminology
- US terms
Gauge: Rounds 1–4 measure about 2 in (5 cm) across. Gauge isn’t critical for a coaster.
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About this pattern
The coaster starts with a ring of six single crochet. Each round after that adds six stitches, spaced evenly around the circle: 6, 12, 18 and so on, up to 48. That steady pattern is what keeps a crochet circle flat, and once you understand it you can make a circle of any size.
Joined rounds, rather than a continuous spiral, make it easy to see where each round begins and ends. Change color on any round for a two-tone coaster.
Why you'll love it
- Your first project in the round
- The increase pattern is easy to remember and easy to check
- Finished in under an hour
- Make a matching set from leftover cotton
Materials
Worsted-weight (medium
Split between two colors if you like
About 20–25 yd (18–23 m)
5 mm (US H-8) crochet hook
Stitch marker
Tapestry needle and scissors
Abbreviations
- ch
- chain
- sc
- single crochetUK: dc
- sl st
- slip stitchUK: ss
- st(s)
- stitch(es)
- rnd(s)
- round(s)
- rep
- repeat
This pattern uses US terms. Convert US ↔ UK terms
Stitches used
Notes before you start
- Work every round with the right side facing you — do not turn.
- The chain 1 at the start of each round does not count as a stitch.
- Work the first sc of each round into the same stitch as the slip stitch join.
- Working 2 sc in the same stitch is an increase — it adds one stitch to the round.
- Place a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round so the join is easy to find.
Free pattern
The pattern
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Tick rows and rounds as you finish them — your progress is saved on this device.
Center
Increase rounds
Tip: Each round has one more plain sc between increases than the round before. If you lose your place, count the stitches between two increases.
Finishing
Tip: Small wobbles usually disappear with blocking: dampen the coaster, pat it flat and let it dry completely.
Tips
- Count every round. If the number is off, the most common cause is missing the stitch at the join.
- Increases stacked in the same place can give the edge a slightly hexagonal shape. That’s normal and softens with blocking.
- Cotton is best for coasters. It handles warm mugs and can be washed.
Variations
- Two-tone coaster
- Work Rounds 1–5 in one color, then change to a second color on the slip stitch join at the end of Round 5.
- Bigger mat
- Keep going. Round 9 is [sc in the next 7 sts, 2 sc in the next st] 6 times, for 54 stitches, and each further round adds one more plain sc to every repeat.
- Gift set
- Make four coasters in coordinating colors and tie them together with a length of yarn.
Common questions
Why does my coaster curl up like a bowl?
It has too few stitches, usually because an increase was missed. Count each round: you should have 6 more stitches than in the round before.
Why is my coaster wavy?
It has too many stitches for its size, often from an extra increase or very loose tension. Check your counts, then block the coaster flat.
Do I have to use a magic ring?
No. Chain 2 and work the first round into the 2nd chain from the hook. The center will have a tiny hole, which is barely noticeable on a coaster.
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