Hide and Seek

It is an ongoing quest of mine to find a way to eliminate visible seams in my crochet pieces.  It isn't always possible to work in spirals - sometimes you need your rows to line up.  But who wants that ugly line running through their work?  Not me!
By trial and error, I found a way to hide that unattractive seam.  It isn't quite invisible, but to the untrained eye it blends right in.  This method is so simple that I'm sure I'm not the first person to discover it.  In case there are some people out there like me, who have never seen the technique before, I think it's worth sharing.


Here it goes:
1.  I always begin with a magic circle/adjustable ring.  When you are ready to join the circle, slip stitch into the first stitch of the round and then chain (1 for sc, 2 for dc, 3 for tc).  The chain counts as your first stitch of the new round.  If you need to increase in the first stitch, do so in the same stitch that you just joined to.  Work the rest of the round as usual.


2.  Instead of joining in the top of the chain at the end of the round, skip to the first stitch of the round after the starting chain.  Slip stitch and then chain (1 for sc, 2 for dc, 3 for tc).  The chain counts as the first stitch of the new round.  Make your second stitch in the same stitch that you just joined to.  Work the rest of the round as usual.


3.  Repeat Step 2 for the rest of the rounds!


Here's what it looks like:

As you can see, the technique works equally well for single, double, and triple crochet.  I hope you enjoy this method as much as I do.  
As always, happy crocheting!