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Magic Loop

Standard term:  Magic Loop

Alternative names: Magic/Adjustable Loop/Circle/Ring

Notes:
A way to begin crocheting in the round which will enable the stitches in the center to be pulled tight so that no gap appears in the middle.



Tutorial: 

1.  Wrap your yarn around your fingers as you normally would, ready to crochet.  Leave the free yarn tail dangling down over the palm of your hand as shown.
2.  Take the yarn tail and wrap it around your forefinger, going under the finger, around the back and then over the top to lie at the front again.
3.  Holding yarn tail in place with you thumb and insert your crochet hook under the loop to grab the yarn coming from the ball.

4.  Pull the yarn through the loop.
5.  To secure the loop in place, wrap the yarn around the hook and pull through the loop.
6.  This has made the first chain.
7.  Holding the hook in place, gently slide the loop off your finger.  The magic loop or ring is now ready to work into.

If you are making double crochet stitches  (USA single crochet)  you can start straight away as the 1st chain has already been completed.
8.  In this example, I've worked treble stitches (USA double stitches) so I've made a further 2 chains and then starting making tr's into the loop.

9.  Continue making stitches into the loop until you have the number you require.
10.  The close the circle, take the yarn tail and pull.  This will draw the stitches together and start to close up the center.
11.  Keeping pulling on the yarn tail until the center is as small as you like, or disappears altogether!

If you have an awful lot of stitches in the loop you might have trouble closing it completely, but for most patterns it works beautifully.