{"id":26241,"date":"2025-12-29T11:27:45","date_gmt":"2025-12-29T16:27:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.planetjune.com\/blog\/?page_id=26241"},"modified":"2026-03-18T09:57:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T13:57:17","slug":"how-to-crochet-a-magic-ring","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.planetjune.com\/blog\/amigurumi-help\/how-to-crochet-a-magic-ring\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Crochet a Magic Ring"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"infobox\">Link easily to this tutorial in <a href=\"\/faq\/linking\/may-i-link-to-your-pattern-tutorial-in-my-pattern\/\">your patterns<\/a>: <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.planetjune.com\/magicring\" class=\"autohyperlink\">www.planetjune.com\/magicring<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n<p>The question I get asked most often is how to make a magic ring (sometimes also called a magic circle) to begin an amigurumi.<\/p>\n<h2>What is a Magic Ring?<\/h2>\n<p>A magic ring is a way to begin crocheting in the round by crocheting over an adjustable loop and then pulling the loop tight. Unlike the traditional chain start, it leaves <strong>no hole<\/strong> in the centre of your starting round, which is ideal for amigurumi.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/blog\/images\/magic_ring_video.jpg\" alt=\"magic ring for crochet video tutorial, by planetjune\" \/><\/p>\n<p>With a chain start (below, left), you can clearly see the hole in the centre, which isn&#8217;t ideal for amigurumi, as the stuffing can show through. By using a magic ring (below, right) instead, you can completely close that gap, leaving no hole at all:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/blog\/tut_images\/magicring_compare.jpg\" alt=\"magic ring vs traditional method\" \/><br \/>\n<em>L: ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 2 sc in each st around.<br \/>\nR: magic ring, ch 1, 6 sc in magic ring, 2 sc in each st around.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>It can take a few attempts to master the magic ring technique, but once you&#8217;ve got the hang of it, you&#8217;ll never go back to your old method again, I promise!<\/p>\n<p>I recommend you watch the video to see the method in action, but in case you prefer text or want something visual to refer to, I&#8217;ve also made a photo tutorial version for you.<\/p>\n<p>Quick finder:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#video\">Video Tutorial (right- and left-handed)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#tips\">Magic Ring Tips<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#right\">Step-by-Step Instructions (right-handed)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#left\">Step-by-Step Instructions (left-handed)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h2 id=\"video\">How to Crochet a Magic Ring &#8211; Video (right-handed)<\/h2>\n<div class=\"video\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sLUaywX0-WE?rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>Click to <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/sLUaywX0-WE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">watch this video on YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>How to Crochet a Magic Ring &#8211; Video (left-handed)<\/h2>\n<div class=\"video\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6voAwWdX21g?rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>Click to <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/6voAwWdX21g\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">watch this video on YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Note:<\/strong> The videos may look a little small embedded in the blog: if so, you can fullscreen them or click through to YouTube to watch them full-sized \ud83d\ude42<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2 id=\"tips\">Magic Ring Tips<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Remember that the magic ring is <em>just<\/em> the loop of yarn \u2013 it doesn&#8217;t include any crocheted stitches. If you&#8217;re following a pattern, you&#8217;ll work all the stitches of Rnd 1 into the magic ring, and pull the ring tightly closed at the <em>end<\/em> of Rnd 1.<\/li>\n<li>You can use magic ring in any amigurumi pattern &#8211; if it starts with a chain, just replace the starting <em>&#8216;Ch 2, X sc in 2nd chain from hook&#8217;<\/em> with <em>&#8216;Make a magic ring, ch 1, X sc in magic ring&#8217;<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li>To work in joined rounds instead of the spiral I demonstrate, simply sl st into the first st at the end of Rnd 1, then ch 1 to begin the next round.<\/li>\n<li>Magic ring is also pretty handy for other crochet patterns worked in the round, too. For taller stitches,  instead of the ch 1, you would ch 2 (for hdc), 3 (for dc), or more for even taller stitches, then work Rnd 1 of your stitches into the magic ring.<br \/><em>Note that, with taller stitches, the turning (or non-turning, if you&#8217;re working without turning) chain typically <strong>does<\/strong> count as a stitch, so where I say to ignore the ch 1 in the video, you&#8217;d instead count that chain as the first stitch of Rnd 1, and sl st into the top of the chain before beginning Rnd 2.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>If your ring needs extra strength or security, you may prefer a double ring instead of a standard magic ring. See my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.planetjune.com\/doublering\">Amigurumi Double Ring tutorial<\/a> to learn when and how to use this more secure option.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Is it &#8216;Magic Ring&#8217; or &#8216;Magic Circle&#8217;?<\/h3>\n<p>While you&#8217;ll sometimes see the magic ring called the &#8216;magic circle&#8217; or &#8216;magic loop&#8217; online, I use <em>magic ring<\/em>, because it&#8217;s more precise. Magic loop and magic circle have different meanings, unrelated to crochet:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Magic ring:<\/strong> starting crochet in the round<\/li>\n<li><strong>Magic loop:<\/strong> a narrow circular knitting technique<\/li>\n<li><strong>Magic circle:<\/strong> a society of magicians<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Terminology matters! \ud83d\ude00 But whenever you see a crochet pattern that tells you to make a magic circle or a magic loop, you&#8217;re safe to assume it means a magic ring.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2 id=\"right\">How to Crochet a Magic Ring &#8211; Step-by-Step Instructions (right-handed)<\/h2>\n<blockquote><p>This demonstration shows a piece made using the following pattern:<\/p>\n<p><em>Make a magic ring, ch 1.<br \/>\nRnd 1: 6 sc in magic ring. ( 6 st)<br \/>\nRnd 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12 st)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re following a different pattern, you&#8217;d complete steps 1-2 of this tutorial exactly as shown below, then work the chain and the stitches of Rnds 1 and 2 as specified in your pattern.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><em><strong>Please note:<\/strong> in the following photos, the <strong>starting yarn tail <\/strong>is always<strong> on the left and hanging down<\/strong>. The working yarn begins on the right and is then picked up over my left forefinger in Step 2.<\/em><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Make a loop a few inches from the end of your yarn. Grasp the join of the loop (where the 2 strands of yarn overlap) between your left thumb and forefinger:<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/blog\/tut_images\/magicring_r01.jpg\" alt=\"magic ring\" \/><br \/>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li>Insert hook into the loop from front to back. Draw up a loop:<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/blog\/tut_images\/magicring_r02.jpg\" alt=\"magic ring\" \/><br \/>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li>Ch 1 (or as many as stated in your pattern). Note: this does NOT count as a stitch:<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/blog\/tut_images\/magicring_r03.jpg\" alt=\"magic ring\" \/><br \/>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li>Insert hook into the loop, so you are crocheting over the loop <strong>and<\/strong> the yarn tail. Draw up a loop to begin your first sc of Rnd 1:<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/blog\/tut_images\/magicring_r04.jpg\" alt=\"magic ring\" \/><br \/>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li>Complete the sc. Continue to crochet over the loop and the yarn tail until you have the required number of sc for your first round (6 sc shown here):<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/blog\/tut_images\/magicring_r05.jpg\" alt=\"magic ring\" \/><br \/>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li>Grab the yarn tail and pull to draw the centre of the ring tightly closed:<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/blog\/tut_images\/magicring_r06.jpg\" alt=\"magic ring\" \/><br \/>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li>Begin your second round by crocheting into the first stitch of the first round (below, left). At the end of round 2 your work will look like this (below, right):<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/blog\/tut_images\/magicring_r07.jpg\" alt=\"magic ring\" \/><br \/>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<hr \/>\n<h2 id=\"left\">How to Crochet a Magic Ring &#8211; Step-by-Step Instructions (left-handed)<\/h2>\n<blockquote><p>This demonstration shows a piece made using the following pattern:<\/p>\n<p><em>Make a magic ring, ch 1.<br \/>\nRnd 1: 6 sc in magic ring. ( 6 st)<br \/>\nRnd 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12 st)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re following a different pattern, you&#8217;d complete steps 1-2 of this tutorial exactly as shown below, then work the chain and the stitches of Rnds 1 and 2 as specified in your pattern.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><em>Please note: in the following photos, the <strong>starting yarn tail<\/strong> is always <strong>on the right and hanging down<\/strong>. The working yarn begins on the left and is then picked up over my right forefinger in Step 2.<\/em><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Make a loop a few inches from the end of your yarn. Grasp the join of the loop (where the 2 strands of yarn overlap) between your right thumb and forefinger:<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/blog\/tut_images\/magicring_l01.jpg\" alt=\"magic ring\" \/><br \/>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li>Insert hook into the loop from front to back. Draw up a loop:<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/blog\/tut_images\/magicring_l02.jpg\" alt=\"magic ring\" \/><br \/>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li>Ch 1 (or as many as stated in your pattern). Note: this does NOT count as a stitch:<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/blog\/tut_images\/magicring_l03.jpg\" alt=\"magic ring\" \/><br \/>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li>Insert hook into the loop, so you are crocheting over the loop <strong>and<\/strong> the yarn tail. Draw up a loop to begin your first sc of Rnd 1:<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/blog\/tut_images\/magicring_l04.jpg\" alt=\"magic ring\" \/><br \/>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li>Complete the sc. Continue to crochet over the loop and the yarn tail until you have the required number of sc for your first round (6 sc shown here):<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/blog\/tut_images\/magicring_l05.jpg\" alt=\"magic ring\" \/><br \/>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li>Grab the yarn tail and pull to draw the centre of the ring tightly closed:<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/blog\/tut_images\/magicring_l06.jpg\" alt=\"magic ring\" \/><br \/>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li>Begin your second round by crocheting into the first stitch of the first round (below, left). At the end of round 2 your work will look like this (below, right):<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/blog\/tut_images\/magicring_l07.jpg\" alt=\"magic ring\" \/><br \/>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<hr \/>\n<div class=\"halfright\"><a href=\"\/amibook\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/blog\/images\/ega_cover_thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"The Essential Guide to Amigurumi book by June Gilbank\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>Loved this tutorial? I have so many more amigurumi tips and tricks to share with you!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Boost your amigurumi skills<\/strong> with my latest book, <a href=\"\/amibook\">The Essential Guide to Amigurumi<\/a>, your comprehensive guide to amigurumi techniques and tips.<\/p>\n<div class=\"clear\"><\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Do you find my tutorials helpful?<\/strong> If so, please consider making a contribution towards my time so I can continue to create clear and concise tutorials for you:<\/p>\n<div class=\"donate\"><a class=\"cssbutton\" href=\"\/shop\/just-a-donation-no-product-p-308.html\">make a donation<\/a><\/div>\n<p><strong>Thank you so much for your support!<\/strong> Now click below for loads more crochet video and photo tutorials (and do let me know what else you&#8217;d like me to cover in future tutorials&#8230;)<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/help\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/blog\/images\/more_planetjune_crochet_tutorials.jpg\" alt=\"See more helpful PlanetJune crochet tips and technique tutorials\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Link easily to this tutorial in your patterns: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.planetjune.com\/magicring\" class=\"autohyperlink\">www.planetjune.com\/magicring<\/a> The question I get asked most often is how to make a magic ring (sometimes also called a magic circle) to begin an amigurumi. What is a Magic Ring? A magic ring is a way to begin crocheting in the round by crocheting over an adjustable [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":190,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-26241","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.planetjune.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/26241","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.planetjune.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.planetjune.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.planetjune.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.planetjune.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26241"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.planetjune.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/26241\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26265,"href":"https:\/\/www.planetjune.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/26241\/revisions\/26265"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.planetjune.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/190"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.planetjune.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26241"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}