Magic ring vs chain loop
A round piece opens on a magic ring or on a chain loop. The ring shuts tight; the loop is easier and leaves a hole. Which the patterns use, and how to work each.
Both are ways of opening a round so the first stitches have something to sit in. A magic ring is a loop of yarn held closed by its own tail: you work the opening round into the loop and the tail together, then pull the tail and the centre shuts completely. That is what a stuffed piece needs, because there is no hole left for filling to find. A chain loop is chain 2 and work the round into the second chain from the hook — or chain 4 and join it into a ring. It is easier, and it works on the first attempt, but a chain cannot be drawn any tighter than a chain already is, so a small centre hole stays. Use the ring for creature heads and bodies; use the chain loop for squares, motifs and flat work, where the hole disappears into the pattern or reads as part of it. The opening round in either is usually 6 sc (6).
Working a magic ring
Five attempts is the usual price of learning it. Set the tail where you can see it and work the first round slowly.
Making the ring and locking it
Lay the yarn across your palm with the tail hanging on the little-finger side, and wrap the working yarn once around two fingers so the strands cross. Slide the hook under both strands, catch the working yarn and draw a loop through. Yarn over once more and pull through that loop — this locks the ring, and it does not count as a stitch.
The opening round, and drawing it shut
Now work the opening round into the ring itself, catching both strands every time: the loop, and the tail lying against it. Six single crochet is the usual opening, (6). When the last one is made, put the hook down, take the tail, and pull. The centre draws shut like a purse. Join, or carry on in a spiral, as the pattern says — and leave the tail long, because until it is woven in it is the only thing holding the centre closed.
The chain loop, step by step
Two forms, and they are not interchangeable.
Chain 2, and the round into the second chain
Chain 2. Work the whole opening round into the second chain from the hook: six single crochet gives (6), the same count the ring gives. The stitches gather around one small chain and the round begins.
Chain 4 joined into a visible ring
The other form is chain 4 and slip stitch into the first chain to make a visible ring, then work the round into the ring rather than into the individual chains. That is the traditional square opening, and the small ring it leaves is meant to be seen. Either way the chain has already been drawn as tight as a chain gets, which is exactly why the centre keeps a hole.
| In practice | Magic ring (mr) | Chain loop |
|---|---|---|
| Centre after closing | Shut | A small hole stays |
| Behind filling | Holds | Filling can show |
| Can be tightened later | Pull the tail whenever | No |
| First attempts | Awkward for four or five | Works the first time |
| Set-up | About ten seconds | About five |
| Written as | mr, MR, magic loop, adjustable ring | ch 2, work into the 2nd ch |
| Tail to weave in | Longer — it did the closing | Ordinary |
| Lies flat | Yes | Yes |
| Used for | Creature heads and bodies, closed rounds | Squares, motifs, flat work |
When the ring will not close
Almost always one of two things, and neither is a counting error. The first is that the opening stitches were worked over the loop only and not over the tail as well; the tail then pulls free of everything and the ring behaves like a slip knot. Undo the round and start again catching both strands — there is no repair for it afterwards.
The second is that the ring was tightened by accident partway through, usually by tugging the working yarn while making a stitch. Once the loop has shrunk there is no room for the remaining stitches and the tail will not travel. Work the opening round slowly and check every second stitch that the tail still slides. Two or three failed attempts is normal; it is a hand-position problem, and hands learn it quickly.
When the opening goes wrong
A pattern opens with mr — what is being asked for?
Magic ring. The same opening is written MR, magic loop or adjustable ring, and all four mean the loop you close by pulling its tail.
Is the ring worth the evening it takes to learn?
For anything that will be stuffed, yes, and it takes about five attempts. Every closed round afterwards opens the same way, so the practice is spent once and never again.
Is a chain loop ever the right opening?
On flat work, freely — squares, motifs, coasters, mandalas. On a stuffed piece the chain leaves a hole and the filling finds it, so the ring is the one to use.
My ring keeps opening after a few rounds — why?
The opening stitches were almost certainly worked over the loop alone. Both strands, the loop and the tail, have to be caught by every stitch, or the tail slips out and the centre opens.
How many stitches belong in the first round?
Six single crochet, (6), unless the pattern says otherwise. Wider pieces sometimes open on 8 or 12. A flat round that ruffles has usually opened on too many.
Must a granny square open on a ring?
No. The traditional square opens on chain 4 joined into a ring, and the small centre is part of the look. A magic ring works too and closes tighter — either is correct.