Magic Circle

[BarbySue]

I know I'm behind the times, but if you have not tried the magic circle I strongly urge you to give it a shot. I did not realize what a big difference it makes! WOW! I'm a convert! From now on I'm strictly using it. Amazing! I was so tickled over it I had to show hubby the difference and even he could see it although he couldn't understand why I was so excited....MEN! I'm doing cartwheels here over this, I'm so happy I tried something new! OK new to me. I'll let you get back to your daily lives now that I totally disrupted you.

[Barbara G.]

That is awesome! By the way, you are not disrupting our lives - we love to hear what others are doing and their excitement for crochet!

[imalefty]

I love the magic ring also. No more big holes in the middle! And it certainly makes a difference in how items look.

[BarbySue]

I pulled out a hat I had made using the exact pattern I'm using now and boy oh boy what a difference. I'm still stoked over it! I'm as excited over this as I was when I learned the Russian Join. No more knots! What a great invention of these two techniques! Off to do more cartwheels in between crocheting. Hahahaha.

[crochetdiva]

fyi: My mother taught me to crochet when I was a little girl some 53 years ago, and the first thing I learned was to make a starting loop. That loop did not have the name of "magic circle". I have been using this loop ever since. It's strange how something you have used for years, and then somebody comes up with a name for it. ---crochetdiva

[BarbySue]

What a wonderful thing for your mother to teach you! You are way a head of me in the crochet world! It is just amazing to me.

[crochetdiva]

Loving your handle--"Yarn Tangler" ---crochetdiva

[3catlady]

Where did you learn this? I keep hearing about the magic circle. The Russian Join, I will go on youtube to find that one. Just finished an lapghan that has the knots in it. This is about the 15 one since September that I have completed and 14 given to charity. The other one was an afghan for my grandson. Plus two teddy bears and now an owl that is cute as can be! My hands ache but keep pressing one!!!

[crochetdiva]

You can pull the shorter end of the yarn to close up that big circle at the beginning of your work.
This is how I learned but of course, there are other ways to make that magic circle.

1) Make a figure 9 with the short end of yarn on top
2) Pull the short end under, making a loop at the same time and pull through the figure 9 loop
3) Hold onto that loop and pull the long end of yarn
You will be able to adjust the size of that loop. Wait before you adjust especially when you slip stitch to make a circle to add for example 9 dc in the circle. You can pull everything tight.

Sounds complicated, but it's not. Practice it 3 or 4 times and I betcha you get it!

fyi: I'm not stingy with that short end because I like to thread it through a yarn needle when I'm finished with my crochet piece and weave it in. I find that working over it as I go does not achieve good results.

[ruditudi]

I know - isn't it the greatest! So simple - makes you wonder why it wasn't thought of years ago.

ruditudi