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Double magic ring

A double magic ring is a magic ring with the yarn wrapped round twice instead of once. The first round is worked over both strands of the ring and the tail together, and the ring is then pulled shut in two stages: first one loop, then the other. The doubled center is more secure than a single ring, which is why some makers use it for pieces that get a lot of use.

How to work it

  1. Wrap the yarn twice

    The yarn laid in a ring that goes round twice, so that two strands lie side by side all the way round. The short tail ends in the picture at the lower right, and the strand to the ball leaves by the bottom edge.

    Start as for a magic ring, but wind the yarn twice round your fingers. Two strands now lie side by side in one ring, with the tail on one side and the yarn to the ball on the other.

  2. Draw up a loop and chain 1

    Put the hook into the ring, under both strands, catch the yarn that leads to the ball and pull up a loop. Chain 1 to hold it.

  3. Work the first round over three strands

    Four stitches of the first round sit side by side on the doubled ring. The foot of each stitch reaches inside both strands of the ring, so each stitch is closed round the two of them together. The ring is still open. One loop is on the hook.

    Work every stitch of the first round into the ring before you close it. Each stitch goes round three strands at once: the two turns of the ring and the tail.

  4. Find the loop that moves

    Six stitches sit on the doubled ring, which is still open. One of its two strands is marked, together with the tail it leads to, and an arrow shows the tail being pulled: that is the strand that moves when the tail is pulled.

    Pull the tail a little. One of the two loops of the ring starts to move and get smaller. Stop there: that loop is the one to take hold of next.

  5. Close the first loop

    Take hold of the loop that moved, not the tail, and pull it on the side that makes the other loop shrink. Keep pulling until the other loop has closed completely.

  6. Close the second loop

    Now pull the tail again. The loop that is left closes too, and the stitches of the first round meet in the middle.

At a glance

Also called
double magic circle, double ring
Used for
hats and other pieces worked in the round from the center; pieces that get a lot of use, where the center must stay closed; slippery yarns, in which a single ring tends to work open
Wraps
Two, where a magic ring has one.
Under each stitch
Three strands: both turns of the ring and the tail.
Closed in
Two pulls: one loop by the other loop, the last one by the tail.
Use it when
The center must stay shut: hard use, or a slippery yarn.

The reason for the second wrap is security. With two strands in the center, the hole is held shut more firmly and is less likely to slide open again with use. Makers reach for it when a piece will be handled a lot, and when the yarn is so smooth that a single ring will not stay closed.

There is no need to use it everywhere. For most pieces a single magic ring is enough, provided its tail is woven in securely.

When it goes wrong

I pull the tail and the ring does not close.
The tail closes only one of the two loops, and only last. Pull the tail a little to see which loop moves, then pull that loop itself to close the other one. After that the tail will close what is left.
My stitches came loose from the ring.
Each stitch has to go round both turns of the ring and the tail. Put the hook into the middle of the ring, under all three strands, for every stitch of the first round.

Left-handed

The pictures show the hook held in the right hand. For the left hand, read each picture as its mirror image.

Variations

Questions

What is a double magic ring?
A magic ring made with the yarn wrapped twice, so that the first round is worked over two strands of ring and the tail. It is closed in two pulls.
Is a double magic ring more secure than a magic ring?
Yes. The doubled center holds shut more firmly, which matters for pieces that get a lot of use and for slippery yarns.
How do I close a double magic ring?
Pull the tail a little to see which loop moves. Pull that loop to close the other loop completely. Then pull the tail to close the loop that is left.
Do I need a double magic ring for every piece?
No. A single magic ring is enough for most pieces if its tail is woven in securely.

Where to go next

Stitches