How to make a magic ring in crochet

To make a magic ring, wrap the yarn twice around two fingers to form a loop, insert the hook under both strands, pull up a loop, chain 1, then work your first round of stitches into the ring and pull the tail to close the centre tight. It replaces "chain 4 and join", which leaves a hole.

Step by step

You need: Yarn, Crochet hook in the size the yarn label suggests, Scissors.

Wrap the yarn. Leave a 15 cm (6 in) tail and wrap the working yarn twice around your index and middle fingers, so the strands cross on the back of your fingers.
Pull up a loop. Insert the hook under both strands from front to back, catch the working yarn and pull a loop through.
Chain one. Yarn over and pull through the loop on your hook. This chain does not count as a stitch.
Work into the ring. Work the first round, usually 6 single crochets, into the ring, going under both strands each time.
Close the ring. Pull the tail firmly. The strands slide and the centre closes. If it will not close, one of the strands was missed; undo and work under both.
Join or spiral. Either slip stitch into the first stitch to join, or carry on in a spiral with a stitch marker in the first stitch, as amigurumi patterns usually ask.

When to use it

Use a magic ring whenever a pattern starts in the centre and works outwards: amigurumi, hats worked from the crown, coasters, granny circles. If the pattern says “ch 4, join with sl st to form a ring”, you can almost always use a magic ring instead for a neater centre.

Counting the first round

Most first rounds have 6 stitches for single crochet, 8 for half double and 12 for double crochet, because taller stitches need more room. Count them before you close the ring: adding one later is fiddly.

Common questions

Why won't my magic ring close?

You worked some stitches under only one strand of the ring. Pulling the tail then only moves one strand. Undo the round and work every stitch under both strands.

How do I stop a magic ring coming undone?

Weave the tail through the first round in one direction, then back the other way, before you trim it. A double wrap (two strands) also holds better than a single wrap.

Can I use a magic ring in knitting?

Knitters use a similar circular cast-on (Emily Ocker's cast-on) for hats and toys started at the centre. The idea is the same: an adjustable loop that pulls closed.

Stuck on this step? In the Purlwise app you can photograph your work and the coach tells you what went wrong and how to fix it. Get Purlwise

Updated 5 November 2026.