This Crochet Magic Circle Tutorial will show you a different way to make a Magic Circle. The Magic Circle or Magic Ring technique is a very useful skill to know. It can be used to in place of crocheting into a chain and will result in a closed ring at the bottom of your work.
The Magic Circle is often used to begin Amigurumi and other crochet stuffed animals. I use this technique in my Quick and Easy Bowl Cozies, Easter Egg Cozies, Sturdy Bottom Basket,and the On-The-Go Bottle Carrier.
Pictured above Pineapple Pendant
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One day I was talking with some friends in the Our Crochet Journey Facebook Group and they were telling me that just never understood how to make a Magic circle. This confused me because the technique was so easy.
I hunted down some Youtube Videos to see what the matter was, and I discovered I have a different method when making the Magic Circle. So I am going to show you how I do it. This Magic Circle Tutorial is different than the common technique but hopefully, you will find it easier.
Let me know in the comments below if you like this Magic Circle technique.
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Sweet Heart Sweater / Winter Shawl / Hooded Dragon Scarf
The Traditional Magic Circle
The traditional way or common way to make a magic circle is to wrap the yarn in a spiral then use your hook to grab a certain thread, pull it up and make a slip stitch, then chain and work into the magic circle. Once you work your first row you pull your tail end and it pulls the center of the circle tight.
You do not make a slip knot in this method.
Pattern Shown – Seeing Spirals Wash Cloth
The Alternative Magic Circle (New Method)
I am not sure where I learned to make a magic circle, but the photos below show how I have always made a magic circle and I find this way very easy. The main difference between this method and the common method is that I start with a slip knot and with the yarn on my hook.
For this Magic Circle Tutorial you will need to know the difference between the yarn tail and your working yarn. When you make a slip knot you will have yarn on each side of the slip knot.
The shorter side is the yarn tail. The longer side that is most likely connected to a ball or skein of yarn is called your working yarn.
Video Tutorial
Magic Circle Tutorial (Single Crochet)
Start the Magic Circle by making a slip knot and putting it on your hook.
Take your yarn tail and make a circle like the photo below.
Treat that circle like a stitch and insert your hook into it. You want to make sure your hook goes under two strands of yarn.
Yarn over your hook and pull a loop back through your circle.
Yarn over once more and pull it through the two loops on the hook. This completes our first Single Crochet.
Work 5 more Single Crochets exactly the same way. (Or however many single crochets your pattern calls for.) Once all the Single Crochets are complete, pull on the yarn tail and it will tighten up the Magic Circle leaving you with little to no gap in the center of you Single Crochet.
From here you can either slip stitch to the first Single crochet or continue working in the round. This will depend on your pattern.
Magic Circle Tutorial for Half Double and Double Crochet
The Half Double Crochet and the Double Crochet Magic Circle are worked the same. For most Half Double Crochet patterns you will start with 9 Half Double Crochet in the first row and 12 stitches in the first row when using Double Crochet.
The only difference between this and the tutorial above is that you will Chain 2 before working into the circle.
Make a slip knot and put it on your hook. Chain 2, make a circle with the yarn tail.
Yarn over, insert your hook in the circle, yarn over and pull up a loop. Yarn over once more and pull that loop through all other loops on the hook. Your first Half Double Crochet it made.
Work a total of 9 Half Double Crochet into the Circle. (Or as many as your pattern calls for.)
Pull the yarn tail until your circle is closed tight. Slip stitch to the first Half Double crochet or follow your pattern as directed.
For a Double Crochet circle, you will Chain 2 at the beginning just like the Half Double Crochet Magic Circle Tutorial. You will just work 12 Double Crochet into the circle instead of the 9 Half Double Crochet.
And that is it. That is my technique for making the Magic Circle. I have been doing it this way since I first learned to crochet.
Did you like this new way to make a magic circle? Was it easier or harder than the other way? I would love it if you share your thoughts in the comments below. Check out more of my tutorials while you are here.
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