Crochet Magic Rings

Magic rings are something in crochet that I have struggled with for quite a while, and I've now finally got it all figured out and I feel like I need to share this.

Being left handed, I also crochet left handed (but knit right handed - go figure) which can get confusing when looking at pictures of what to do and having to flip them around!

First Step Left Handed

First Step Right Handed

So the first step is to loop the yarn around your hand (the one that you don't hold the hook in) like this:

This image is left handed, but I have flipped the image so it is right handed and also put it up, so that if anyone does get a little confused you can work it all out!

Step Two.

Then the hook should be fed under the yarn tail above the cross in the yarn. It helps to put your thumb over the cross so it all stays in place. Then grab the other loop of yarn and pull it under the tail piece.

Loop yarn pulled under the tail piece.

dc's along the ring and tail.

With this loop, chain one and that becomes the first stitch in the magic ring. I tend to put in a stitch marker on this stitch so I know where the begining of my round is when starting off a project with a magic ring. So to finish the magic ring off, double crochet (or what the pattern says) along the magic ring, around the loop and the tail.

After the double crochet's have been done and right number of stitches in your magic ring has been reached, the tail that is left sticking out can be pulled tight to create the ring.

The great thing about magic rings is that when they are pulled tight there is no hole in the middle of the ring, which you do have if you try and make a circle by chaining six or so and slip stitching them together.

Because of non-holey-ness this is often used in patterns and until recently I have been guilty of skipping the pattern if it has got a magic ring in it! But now I feel like I have mastered the magic ring, and now have the chance to take on any pattern I feel like.

Finished magic ring with hook through first stitch