How do I work into a magic loop?
Here’s how easy it is to make stitches into your new loop…
Once you have a magic loop on your hook, you can start working the first round of your pattern. Here’s how:
Step 1 To start with, you need to make your turning chain for the stitch you intend to work on the first round – we’re going to practise with double crochet, so go ahead and make one chain.
Step 2 Now you can work the stitches of the first round into the magic loop. We’re going to make double crochet stitches. To do this, insert the hook into the magic loop – you need to make sure the hook is sitting under two strands of yarn, the yarn strand of the loop itself and the yarn strand of the tail end. Step 3 Work yrh and pull up a loop.
Step 4 Yrh again and pull through both loops to finish your double crochet stitch.
Step 5 Now you can make more dc stitches, inserting the hook into the magic loop each time. We’re going to work 6 dc. For each of these stitches, it’s really important that you make sure the hook is sitting under two strands of yarn. Once you’ve worked the first round of stitches, you can pull on the tail end of the yarn to tighten the magic loop.
Step 6 To finish the round, work a slip stitch into the top of the first stitch of the round. To do this with dc, insert the hook under the top two loops of the first dc of the round.
Step 7 Yrh and pull the yarn back through this first stitch.
Step 8 Now pull the loop of yarn back through the last stitch as well. This completes the slip stitch, which joins the round into a circle and finishes the first round.
Tip The beauty of a magic loop is that once you’ve pulled on the tail end of yarn, it won’t easily come loose. However, you do need to be careful how you weave in the tail end at the back of the fabric, otherwise the loop could unravel. To avoid this, don’t weave the tail end into the stitches of the first round – instead, weave it into the stitches of the second round and beyond.