Magic Circle Game
Xena Donovan
The crochet magic circle (also known as magic ring or adjustable loop) is a fantastic technique to use when starting any crochet project in the round. The magic circle gives a tight center without a hole or gap that brings an extra level of professionalism to your finished projects.
Quick stitch anatomy lesson for this magic circle crochet tutorial: From here, you could technically remove this from your fingers while leaving the hook in this loop. Then, pull on the tail end of the yarn to tighten.
This would create a slip knot. The magic circle is essentially one big slip knot. Once that piece of information makes sense, the crochet magic circle becomes much easier to understand.
Images 17 and 18: Now, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through two just like you would a single crochet. The grey arrow points to the first single crochet. For all additional stitches, work Images 15 through 18.
Image 19: Here I have put 6 single crochet into the crochet magic circle. You can see the single crochet stitches lined up and the magic circle is still open. We need to tighten it to finish it off.
To secure the magic circle in place, I highly recommend tying knots with the initial yarn end! I have heard some stories of people saying that their magic circles eventually keep apart, particularly in the wash. It is easy to take those extra steps of tying knots to make sure that the magic circle you have created stays nice and secure!
Ever wondered how round or circular projects have those centers that are all closed up and tight? It's the Magic Circle! Also known as Magic Ring or Magic Loop, there are several ways to create it. Here's mine!
I hope that made it clear! There are other ways to do it - some people even take their yarn in the opposite direction - but this is the way I find easiest. But that doesn't make it the "right" way - there are no crochet police! Do what makes you happy and gives you the results you desire. Do you think you'll give the Magic Circle a try? What's your favorite way to start a circle?
I have repeatedly tried to print the chrochet Easter Lilly pattern. every time it gives me a printer error and I have to shut down my computer and reboot because it messes up my printer accesability. I have never had this happen ever. could you send me the pattern to my email so I could print it and the progression pictures ? thank you , Jeri
After I pull it tight, I use a tapestry needle to go around the circle the same direction once more, then go back the other way, piercing the yarn through so that it's completely secure. I've never had one come undone yet! ?
I tried it and it looked okay. I wasn't sure if I should do a chain first or not right after the crossover at the beginning. It was hard for me to know where to join the last dc of the round to that beginning stitch when continuing with the same color. I didn't know where to insert the hook for the slip stitch.
Thank you so much Tamara for the magic circle tutorial. I'm so glad I found it. I hope it's ok for me to post it on my website to let others know where I learned it and send them to you and your tutorials and great site.
Thanks for the tutorials. I have not crocheted in years and need refreshing. Your site has lots of information on it. Looking forward to making bigger things than I used to do with the help of ur site!
I just started crocheting (decided to go big with my first project and do an amigurumi bunny), and wish I had found this tutorial first. I was wondering how to get rid of that darned hole! Thanks so much.
Hi I have a question about the end of the magic circle. I don't see where to insert my hook to begin the dc. Also does the dc wrap twice around the magic circle? From the directions it sends that I should finish the 12 dc when I return to the first stitch but if my magic circle is only 6 around that doesn't seem possible.
Hi Shannon! In the video I'm demonstrating the magic circle with single crochet stitches. If I were to use the magic circle with double crochets, I would start the exact same way, but instead of stopping at the ch-1, I'd ch-2 or maybe ch-3 (if I wanted that to count as the first st of the round). Then I would yo and make a double crochet around both loops of the ring, just as I worked the single crochet stitches. Also, I like to work 6 sts into the ring for single crochets, but for double crochets I would likely work 12, or some similar number (depending on the stitch pattern). I hope that's clearer?
thank you so much! I've tried to do this from a couple other instructions and this is the first one that worked AND that I could remember without the video! keeping it on my finger for the first few stitches is what I needed - I was having a heck of a time trying to keep the yarn stable enough to stitch around....
I just wanted to say, thank you for a fantastic tutorial for a magic circle. Most of the patterns I've worked with have you slip stitch a circle and then work a ton of stitches inside that. But, I've recently been seeing newer patterns with these and was completely clueless! Again, thank you sooo much, it was very easy to follow ?
This is by and far the very best tutorial on magic ring/circle I have found to date. After hours of frustration trying to understand and form the ring with various other youtube videos I now understand. I shall go forth and magic ring! And no longer be afraid.
I have honestly never been able to get the magic ring until now despite years of trying! I usually substitute for a chain two but it never looks as nice. You are one awesome teacher! Just watched a load of your tutorials and I feel like a new crocheter! Thank you ?
I just wanted to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing this tutorial. I am a fairly avid crocheter and relatively intermediate/advanced level. I'm not bragging, just saying I've been doing this for years. Thanks to my mom and my aunt (who taught me so much before she passed away) I have been crocheting since i was a kid..I'm 41 now. . I have always avoided the magic circle like the plauge...lol. I've watched a lot of videos and visited a ton of websites, but I just couldn't get it to work. I always did the chain 4 or 5 and crochet into the circle or chain however many stiches and then crochet into the such and such stitch from the hook. I found a pattern thought that I just have to try and it wasn't gonna look right. So I bit the bullet and decided to give it a try. Well this wonderful lady had a link to your video and here I am. I actually made the magic circle and it looks fairly decent. :). Thanks to you I now at least sort of get it...lol ? You've opened up a lot of new patterns or at least a better way to do a lot of the old ones. So once again THANK YOU!!!
Hi! Thank you for this tutorial. I was searching for a Captain America shield and found this easy one. It required a magic ring to start the circle and there was a link for your site. I watched it a couple of times while trying and voila, I finally have a magic ring! I'm a beginner crocheter and this really helped! Thank you so much
I love to use the magic circle! I do have a problem though. I used the magic circle on a beautiful shawl pattern and last night when I went to put the shawl on I noticed that the magic circle was coming apart an I was losing stitches. Is there a special way to secure the ends. I was able to find the dropped stitches but I am not satisfied with the way it looks. I am a very experienced crocheter, having 60 years of experience and have not had any problem like this before. I am concerned about teaching my students this method. Help please!!!
Hi! Thanks for a wonderful video!
Does your first chains count as a single crochet? Could you make one chain to stabilize the circle and then start with single or double crochets?
(I am so excited after watching hour videos not to use chains anymore ?)
Moogly is world-famous for fresh. modern, and approachable crochet designs - as well as a little knitting and crafting here and there. On Moogly, you'll find several new free patterns every month, top quality video tutorials, giveaways, and more!
A magic circle is a circle of space marked out by practitioners of some branches of ritual magic, which they generally believe will contain energy and form a sacred space, or will provide them a form of magical protection, or both. It may be marked physically, drawn in a material like salt, flour, or chalk, or merely visualised.
Traditionally, circles are believed by ritual magicians to form a protective barrier between themselves and what they summon.[1] One text known as the Heptameron says of the circle, 'But because the greatest power is attributed to the circles; (for they are certain fortresses to defend the operators safe from the evil spirits); in the first place we will treat concerning the composition of a circle.'[2]
Moreover, as magician and historian Jake Stratton-Kent writes, 'In short a circle is not an obsolete symbol of a superstitious fear of spirits, but an intentionally created ritual space for various purposes. It is not always required for all kinds of ritual work, but neither is it of no value, quite the contrary. Making sacred space is among the most primal of rituals, such intentional actions are as worthy of the term psychoactive as any substance.'[3]
Circles may or may not be physically marked out on the ground, and a variety of elaborate patterns for circle markings can be found in grimoires and magical manuals, often involving angelic and divine names. Such markings, or a simple unadorned circle, may be drawn in chalk or salt, or indicated by other means such as with a cord.[1] Some traditions include tracing or circumambulation.
The Sumerians called the practice of using ritual circles zisurr, meaning "magic circle drawn with flour",[4] and inscribed Z-SUR-RA-a. This was an ancient Mesopotamian method of delineating, purifying and protecting from evil by the enclosing of a ritual space in a circle of flour. It involved ritual drawings with a variety of powdered cereals to counter different threats and is accompanied by the gloss: SAG.BA SAG.BA, Akkadian: māmīt māmīt, the curse from a broken oath, in The Exorcists Manual, where it refers to a specific ritual on two tablets the first of which is extant.[5]
93ddb68554