The crochet magic ring is a great stitch to learn for anyone who wants to crochet in rounds. When you crochet in rounds, you do not stop at the end of a row and turn your work. You just keep going in continuing circles. If you are making granny squares, you are still crocheting in the round, but just adding corner spaces into your work.
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Crochet Magic Ring
The crochet magic ring is the perfect way to start any amigurumi projects, as well as being useful when making granny squares, hats, gloves, bags, and so many more things.
On an interesting side note, amigurumi is the Japanese name given to small stuffed crocheted creatures. The word is a compound of ‘ami’, meaning crocheted or knitted, and ‘kurumi’ which means wrapped or stuffed. Japanese does not have different words for knit and crochet. To crochet in Japanese is actually ‘to knit with a hook’!
But I digress.....
Let’s get on with how to make this marvelous magic ring.
How to Do a Crochet Magic Ring
The beauty of the crochet magic ring is that it can be pulled closed tightly, so you won’t be left with a large hole at the beginning of your rounds. Usually, when crocheting in the round, you would make a foundation chain of 2-4 chain stitches, then create a loop with a slip stitch, and crochet your first round into that loop.
The crochet magic ring is also sometimes called a magic circle, a slip ring, and adjustable ring or a magic loop. If your pattern tells you to start with any of those, just follow these directions!
The purple ring is made with a magic ring, the blue is made with a conventional chain ring.
Crochet Magic Ring - Supplies
- Size H hook (4.5 mm) Size 7 UK.
- Medium weight yarn.
You can use any size hook and yarn, but do make sure they are compatible.
Crochet Magic Ring - Stitches Required
Stitches You Will Need To Know-
- Ch- chain stitch
- sc- single crochet
- sl.st.- slip stitch
How To Make A Crochet Magic Ring - Step By Step
Step 1 - Loop an "e"
Make sure you have pulled out enough yarn to work with. The tail will need to be weaved in afterwards. You need to have enough yarn to work with both to make the tail and to thread it through a needle to weave in later.
The yarn which comes out of your ball or skein is the ‘working yarn’, and the loose end is called the ‘tail end’.
Take the tail end of your yarn and make a large, loose, letter’e’.
You can either do this on a table or in the palm of your hand. The working yarn should go over the top of the tail end.
Step 2 - Insert and Wrap
Insert your hook into the upper part of the ‘e’. (The loop) When it is through the loop, wrap the yarn from back to front.
Step 3 - Pull Through
Keep the yarn wrapped around your hook, and pull the hook back up through the loop of the ‘e’. The loop is very loose right now, so keep the crossed point closed by holding it with your fingers.
Step 4 - Loop Again
Take your working yarn and make another loop on your hook from back to front. Be careful not to let the original loop fall apart!
Step 5 - Chain
Pull the working yarn through and up. This has made your first chain stitch onto the magic ring.
Step 7 - Single Crochet
Now stitch as many single crochet stitches onto the ring as your pattern tells you to do.
For this practice piece, let's make these 6 single crochet stitches.
You will do this by inserting the hook into the ring, yarn over, pull the yarn up and through. These are just normal single crochet stitches, but they are all made into the loose ring. Keep the circle loose at this stage.
Step 8 - Slip Stitch
Once you have crocheted your 6 single crochet, join the last stitch to the first chain on the magic circle with a slip stitch.
Step 9 - Pull
When you have joined your stitches to complete the round, pull on the tail end of the yarn to pull the ring tight and close it up completely.
Troubleshooting the Crochet Magic Ring
If you find that the ring won’t pull tight, and there is still a hole in the center, it could be because you have too many single crochet stitches inserted into the ring. If you are using a rough or textured yarn, you may also have trouble. If you are a beginner, use a smooth yarn and hook, and a pattern that does not require too many stitches into your ring.
Weaving In The Tail Of A Crochet Magic Ring
When you have completed your pattern, be certain to weave that tail end securely into your work. It is not completely stable by itself, and it would be so disappointing to complete you,r creature, only to have it unravel from the center!
Thread the tail through the eye of a tapestry needle. (This is why we needed to start with that long tail!) A tapestry needle is best because it has a large eye and a blunt tip. A sharp needle will split your yarn. Your weaving in should only be at the back of your work. Weave all around that first circle of single crochet stitches that you made. This adds some extra strength. Make sure your ring is pulled as tight as you want it to be. Now loop the needle around the last stitch and weave in the opposite direction. Going in both directions locks up that magic circle. Some people prefer to go up and down the posts of their stitches as well, just to be sure! Only when you are sure it won’t come undone, (give it a little tug), can you cut off the end of that tail.
Crochet Magic ring Variation
It is also possible to crochet double crochet, half double crochet, or trebles into your starter ring.
There is a variation on the magic ring technique, called the double crochet magic ring. (Or double magic circle.)
To make this, your initial loop would be doubled, or wrapped around your fingers twice, instead of only once. This double looped center adds extra strength and stability to your crochet item, so it is good to use when your project will be getting hard wear or a lot of use.
Ball Pattern Using a Crochet Magic Ring
Now I am going to give you a pattern to use your fabulous magic ring.
This pattern makes a small crochet ball. You can make it all in one color, or in stripes, by changing color every couple of rows.
Magic Ball Uses
Uses for this ball are many and varied!
- It makes a lovely baby toy, specially if you put something that rattles inside the stuffing.
- It makes a great bigger kids ball for indoor play on rainy days. (Aim the ball into a plastic bowl, or just practice catch)
- If you stuff it with something firm, it makes a fun stress ball.
- The ball shape is the basis for many amigurumi creatures, as a head or a round, fat body.
- You can make teeny tiny balls using a fine hook and thread for a necklace.
- You can make a huge ball with t-shirt yarn as a pouffe.
- Christmas decorations, with added shiny embellishments.
- Funny faces embroidered onto the ball, to look like emoji, as a toy.
- Add some catnip to the stuffing of the ball to make a great cat toy.
Ball Using a Crochet Magic Ring
Your yarn and crochet hook size will depend on what you are going to do with the ball!
- Follow the instructions above to make your magic ring.
- Sc 6 stitches into your magic ring and pull it tight.
- *Work 2 sc into the next stitch. * Repeat from* to * 6 times. You now have 12 sts.
- *Sc into next st, work 2 sc into following st* Repeat 6 times. (18 sts)
- *Sc into next 2 sts, work 2 sc into next st * Repeat 6 times. (24 sts)
- * Sc into next 3 sts, work 2 sc into next st* Repeat 6 times. (30 sts)
- Row 6-10, sc into each st. Keep your 30 sts.
- Now begin your decrease. *SC in next 3 sts, sc 2 tog * Repeat 6 tmes (24 sts)
- *Sc in next 2 sts, sc 2 tog * repeat 6 times (18 sts)
- Now start stuffing your ball, before the entrance gets too small!
- *Sc in next st, sc 2 tog* Repeat 6 times. (12 sts)
- Add a little more stuffing. Make sure it is very firmly stuffed!
- *Sc 2 tog *6 times.
- Fasten off, leaving a long tail.
- Using a tapestry needle weave the tail through those final 6 sts, then pull tight to close the opening. Weave in the end of the tail.
If you plan to make a huge ball, you will need to crochet more increasing rounds at the beginning, and then obviously more decreasing rounds at the end.
Crochet Magic Ring - In Conclusion
It seems that a lot of crocheters, even experienced ones, are intimidated by this magic ring technique. I am one of those people! It took me years to summon up the courage to try this mystical magic circle. And once I did, I wondered why it had taken me so long! If you just follow it step by step it is really quite easy. So now you can go out and test your new skill to make the soft ball explained above, or a stuffed animal or a hat using the crochet magic ring to give it a really professional look, and a neat finish!
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