Magic Ring Crochet Tutorial (Photo & Video Tutorial)

The Magic Ring Crochet Technique

The magic ring crochet technique truly deserves its name. It is MAGIC. For crochet, magic rings, aka magic loops or magic circles, are the best way to start a project that’s crocheted in the round. Why? Because you’re able to make the center of your work as tight as possible, which makes for a better finished product and less unraveling.

Your crochet pattern may tell you to start by chaining a certain number of stitches and then joining to your last chain to make a ring. Then you crochet your first stitches into the chained ring.

With a magic ring, you crochet into an adjustable ring formed by your yarn tail, then after finishing your first round’s stitches and completing the first stitch of your second round, you pull the ring tightly closed. The magic ring is especially essential if you’re crocheting amigurumi. You want to avoid stuffing getting out of your finished doll! Magic rings are also perfect for granny squares! With enough practice, making your ring will become second nature.

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MAGIC RING PHOTO TUTORIAL

Note: This magic ring tutorial is shown right-handed. If you’re left handed, flip the instructions.

SET-UP

Step 1: Drape your yarn tail (the end of the yarn) over three fingers.

Step 2: Wrap the working yarn (the yarn connected to the yarn ball), around your fingers and bring it up and over, making an X. Using your thumb, pinch the center of the X.

Step 3: Insert your crochet hook under the first string and over the second string. Pull up a loop.

Step 4: Reposition ring to face you. Move working yarn to yarn holding hand (the hand not holding the crochet hook)

Step 5: Make a chain stitch by bringing working yarn over crochet hook from back to front. Bring yarn through loop on hook (this chain stitch does not count as your first stitch!)

Step 6: Pull your yarn tail a little tighter so the magic ring is smaller and more manageable.

CROCHETING INTO THE MAGIC RING

You’ve set-up your magic ring! Now you’re ready to start making stitches into the center. I’ll show you step-by-step how to make your first round – I’m making a single crochet stitch.

Step 7: Insert hook into center of magic ring. Making sure you’re working over your yarn tail, yarn over by bringing yarn from back to front over crochet hook. Bring yarn loop back through center of magic ring.

Step 8: Yarn over and bring through both loops on crochet hook. This makes 1 single crochet stitch.

Step 9: Continue crocheting into the ring and over yarn tail until you’ve completed the stitches in the first round. Pull yarn tail so the magic ring’s hole is almost fully closed.

Step 10: Make the first stitch of your 2nd round. Place your stitch marker. Now pull your yarn tail as tight as you can to fully close the magic ring’s opening.

And there you have it! You’ve successfully started your crochet project leaving the smallest possible opening. Your yarn tail should be secure enough if you crocheted over it. I like to hide my yarn tails inside my amigurumi doll to avoid weaving in ends.

MAGIC RING VIDEO TUTORIAL

Try out your new skills with some of these free patterns that start with a magic ring:

Magic Ring Crochet Tutorial (Photo & Video Tutorial)