How to Crochet the Best Magic Loop / Circle / Ring

Louie's Loops

Beginner difficulty

Beginner

10 minutes

Video

In this lesson we’ll learn the best way for how to crochet the magic loop (aka magic ring or circle). We’ll discuss two different methods, the pros and cons to each, and why I prefer one over the other.

What you'll create

What you'll learn

What you'll need

Cotton Yarn

Weight

Colors

Any Color

Crochet Hook

G6 / 4.00 mm

Abbreviations

ch

Chain Stitch

st

Stitch

sc

Single Crochet

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The Pattern

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(1:23) The time codes match to the pattern video

01What is the Magic Loop / Ring / Circle?

The magic loop is a simple method for starting your crochet in the round that makes the tightest, least noticeable center. It makes it easy to create the first round of stitches, and creates a tight hole that if done properly will not come undone. The magic loop is a necessity for crocheting amigurumi which is almost always done in the round, and it’s alternative, the chain two method, often leaves a noticeable hole in the center.

In this tutorial I’ll show you 2 different ways that I make the magic loop and the pros and cons to each. For the purpose of this video I’ll be referring to them as different things, the first being the magic loop and the second being the magic ring, but that is only for the purpose of this video. If you see Magic Loop / Ring or Circle written in any pattern, they are referring to either of these methods.

Additionally, I should mention that there are definitely other ways to make the magic loop, I am just showing you my two favorite ways and explaining the differences.

02The Magic Loop

Okay, let’s start with what I refer to as the magic loop. This is in my opinion the easiest and often the best way to crochet a magic loop. It is the method that I now use almost exclusively.

Pinch the yarn between your middle finger and thumb with your non-dominant hand. Make sure the end of the yarn is facing down towards the floor, not up. Don’t release this while you’re making the magic loop.

Wrap the yarn around the back of your index and middle finger, and then back up and over the yarn you’re pinching to make an “X”. Then go back around and down your index and middle finger again, and put the yarn between your ring and pinky fingers and close them in to keep the end pinched.

Pinch the yarn between your middle finger and thumb with your non-dominant hand. Make sure the end of the yarn is facing down towards the floor, not up. Don’t release this while you’re making the magic loop.

Wrap the yarn around the back of your index and middle finger, and then back up and over the yarn you’re pinching to make an “X”. Then go back around and down your index and middle finger again, and put the yarn between your ring and pinky fingers and close them in to keep the end pinched.

Now you should have an X on the side facing you and two parallel bars on the back of your fingers.

With the two bars on the back of your fingers facing you, place your crochet hook under the first bar, and hook onto the second bar.

Pull this under the first bar and twist it to make a loop on your crochet hook.

Now go over the first bar with your hook and yarn over with the yarn from your second bar. You may need to help guide the yarn onto the hook with your index finger of your dominant hand.

Pull this through the loop you just made to create a chain stitch. I like scooping the yarn a bit to help it through.

You just made a magic loop! The yarn should be held together enough now for you to slide the loop off your fingers.

Now we’ll be making our first round of stitches into the center of this loop. When we have all our stitches in our first round made we’ll pull this tail end to tighten the hole closed. You can pull it slightly now to see what I mean and close the loop a bit to make a more manageable loop to work with. I like to make it about the size of a penny before creating my first round of stitches.

For this video I’ll be making 6 single crochet stitches into the magic loop.

Once I have my six stitches I can pull the tail end and it should close the hole tight. Now be careful here not to pull too tightly or it will break your yarn and you’ll have to start over!

This next part is important for the magic loop method, and the main drawback to this method verses the other one that I’m calling the Magic Ring. For the next few stitches in the next round, make sure to work around this tail end that you had left over.

03The Magic Ring

This is the alternative method to making the magic loop and what I was using most often prior to learning the previous method, the Magic Loop. The biggest drawback is that this method can be more complicated and has more opportunities to goof up, but it does have a few benefits, mostly that it won’t come undone if you forget to work around the tail, and is less likely to break your yarn if you’re using a more weak fiber.

Place the yarn in your palm, with the tail end facing up. Close your bottom three fingers around the yarn to make a finger gun.

Now go around your index finger 3 times. Don’t make this too tight.

Open your fingers back up and place the yarn between your middle and ring finger, then close your three fingers again to hold the tail end in place.

Using your crochet hook, go under the first two bars on your index finger and hook onto the third bar. Pull this under the first two.

Now going over the bars, yarn over with the end attached to the ball and pull that through the loop you just made to create a chain stitch.

You can now safely slide this off your index finger.

You’ll be working your first round into the center of this hole just like you did in the magic loop method before. I’ll be doing 6 single crochet stitches again. Make sure you're going under both of these loops of yarn as you go.

When you’re done with your stitches we can then tighten the loop. This is the main drawback to the method as it can be confusing on how to actually tighten the loop.

First, delicately tug the tail end to pull in one of these two loops slightly. Pay attention to which one gets tighter.

Now that you know which has tightened, grab it by the base, closest to the first stitch you made, and pull it tight by pulling down. This should pull the second loop tight and close the hole.

Finally, you can pull the tail end to pull the first loop tight.

You can see why this method is a bit more complicated, but it does have some benefits.

First, you don’t need to work around this tail end or worry about it loosening, this is very hard to loosen up. Second, while pulling it tight, you don’t need to worry as much about the yarn breaking. I haven’t had yarn break using this method even with fragile yarn like Mohair.

04My Opinions

Magic Loop

Pros:
• Easier to make
• Simple to close

Cons:
• Hole can come loose if not secured
• Yarn is more susceptible to breaking

Magic Ring

Pros:
• More secure, shouldn’t come loose
• Stronger and less likely to break yarn during creation

Cons:
• More complicated to make
• Much more difficult to close / remember

Personally, of the two methods I like the first one more because it is a lot easier and since I use cotton my yarn doesn’t break or loosen often, if ever. But let me know what you think! Which is your favorite? Do you use a different method besides these two, if so what benefits have you found to that method? I’m very curious to see if there’s another method that I’m missing out on!

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3 thoughts on “How to Crochet the Best Magic Loop / Circle / Ring”

  1. So after 32 years of crocheting, last night a friend of mine finally taught me a way to actually learn the magic ring method and I retained it . Then today I find your club and see this. I LOVE how easy the second method is!! I feel it’s more simple than the first!! Thank you for giving me another way to do something I’ve struggled with for YEARS!

  2. This is absolutely the best tutorial I’ve see yet on the magic circle. I would be interested in how the chain four loop can be done correctly as well. I notice I sometimes seem to be able to pull it taught and other times no. I am doing something wrong with that but I prefer it as its easier to add single crochets for me with my arthritis. Great job here! I’ll definitely try the magic loop.

  3. I use both, depending on the stress the item will likely have. i use the first for things like doilies, joined motifs and amigurumi pieces. i use the second for hats, purses and things that are subject to regular stress/pressure during use. i learned the second method awhile ago and it was referred to as a ‘double magic ring.’ very useful to know both and great tutorial.

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