How to Make a Magic Ring

Many patterns worked in the round — especially amigurumi, hats and flowers — begin with a magic ring (abbreviated MR). Instead of joining a ring of chains, which always leaves a small hole, you work the first round of stitches around a loop of yarn and then pull the tail to close the center completely.

It feels fiddly the first two or three times. After that it becomes one of the most useful moves in crochet.

What you'll need

• Any smooth yarn in a light color, so you can see the stitches
• A hook in the size recommended on the yarn label
• A pattern that starts with "MR" or "magic ring" — or just practice with 6 single crochet

How to make a magic ring, step by step

1. Make a loop. Leaving a tail of about 6 in (15 cm), cross the working yarn over the tail to make a circle about the size of a coin. Pinch the spot where the strands cross.
2. Pull up a loop. Insert your hook into the center of the circle from front to back, catch the working yarn and pull a loop through to the front.
3. Secure it with a chain. Yarn over and pull through the loop on your hook. This chain holds everything together and does not count as a stitch.
4. Work into the ring. Insert your hook into the center of the ring so that you work over both the ring and the tail. Yarn over, pull up a loop and complete a single crochet. Repeat until you have the number of stitches your pattern asks for — often 6.
5. Close the ring. Hold the stitches with one hand and pull the tail firmly with the other until the center disappears.
6. Start the next round. Work the first stitch of round 2 into the first stitch of round 1 — not into the securing chain. If you are working in a spiral, mark this stitch with a stitch marker.

Keeping the ring closed

Slippery yarns such as cotton and bamboo can slowly loosen a magic ring. When you weave in the tail, first pass it once around the inside of the first round of stitches, then weave it away in two different directions. That small change locks the center in place.

Common problems

The ring won't close. One or more stitches probably went around only one strand. Every stitch in the first round needs to enclose the whole loop. Pull out the stitches back to the mistake and rework them.

The first round has too many or too few stitches. It is easy to count the securing chain by accident. Count only the stitches worked into the ring.

There is still a small hole. Pull the tail more firmly, then tighten again after you have worked the second round, when the stitches have settled.

Alternatives to the magic ring

If the ring still frustrates you, you can start most rounds another way: chain 2, then work the first round of stitches into the second chain from the hook. The center will not close quite as tightly, but it is perfectly usable for most projects.

Practice with a pattern

The mini bee starts with a magic ring and uses only single crochet increases and decreases — a good first project once you have made a few practice rings.

Free patternEasy Mini Crochet BeeBeginner2 hours