Knitting basic shapes - Sphere / Ball

I use spheres as a basis for many components of my knitting patterns.  They are very easy if you can knit in the round.  I'm going to show you two methods I like for knitting spheres.



Remember to stuff the shape as you knit.

The Easy Way:
Abbreviations
KfbIncrease by knitting into the front and back of the stitch
*Repeat the instruction in brackets the number of times shown
KKnit
K2TogKnit two together


To begin, turkish cast on six stitches (three on each needle)

Round 1) K6(6 sts)
Round 2) Kfb*6(12 sts)
Round 3) K12
Round 4) (K1, Kfb)*6(18 sts)
Round 5) K18
Round 6) (K2, Kfb)*6(24 sts)
Round 7) K24
Round 8) (K3, Kfb)*6(30 sts)

Continue in this manner with a plain knit round followed by an increase round (each time increasing the number of stitches between 'Kfb's) until you have a hemisphere of the size you desire, I like to knit three plain rounds between the last increase and the first decrease round. 

Round 10) (K3, K2Tog)*6(24 sts)
Round 11) K24
Round 12) (K2, K2Tog)*6(18 sts)
Round 13) K18
Round 14) (K1, K2Tog)*6(12 sts)
Round 15) K12
Round 16) K2Tog*6(6 sts)

Cut yarn and draw through the stitches.
I really dislike the shaping lines in this method; you can see them spiral out from the cast on point.


The Nicer Way:
Abbreviations
LLILeft lifted increase
RLIRight lifted increase 
*Repeat the instruction in brackets the number of times shown
KKnit
K2TogKnit two together
SSKSlip Slip Knit
(A tutorial for the increases is available here: http://www.twistcollective.com/collection/component/content/article/92-how-to/1047-lifted-increase-lli-rli)

To begin, turkish cast on six stitches (three on each needle)

Round 1)K6(6 sts)
Round 2)RLI*6(12 sts)
Round 3)K12
Round 4)(K1, LLI)*6(18 sts)
Round 5)Knit all
Round 6)(RLI, K2)*6(24 sts)
Round 7)Knit all
Round 8)(K3, LLI)*6 (30 sts)

Continue in this manner with a plain knit round followed by an increase round, you need to alternate between LLI and RLI each increase round, until you have a hemisphere of the size you desire.

Round 10)(K3, SSK)*6(24 sts)
Round 11)Knit all
Round 12)(K2Tog, K2)*6(18 sts)
Round 13)Knit all
Round 14)(K1, SSK)*6(12 sts)
Round 15)Knit all
Round 16)K2Tog*6(6 sts)

Cut yarn and draw through the stitches.
In my opinion this is much better, the shaping lines are more like those seen on a beachball and are symmetrical in each segment.