Magic Circle Cast On

Easy and simple step-by-step instructions to walk you through the Magic Circle Cast On and get you knitting your project in no time. 

The Magic Circle Cast On, which is also known as "Emily Ocker's Cast On", is an easy way to start a piece of circular knitting from the center of the circle. It's really convenient for knitting projects like coozies, shawls, or hats.  The fact that a crochet hook is involved can be intimidating for some knitters but shouldn't be. It's fast, easy, and you'll only have to pick that hook up for a couple stitches before you're back to knitting in the round. 

Let's get started.

Materials:

• Yarn
• Crochet Hook
• Double Pointed Needles 

Make sure to double check your Needles, Hook, Yarn and Gauge to your pattern or project. 

Wrap your yarn around your non-dominant hand as shown above so that your pointer finger has one loop of yarn on it. Both your long tail and your short tail of yarn should be on top of your fingers and palm. 

From here on out, in this Instructable I will be referring to the following:

• Long Tail= This is the longer string of yarn that is still attached to your ball of yarn.
• Main Loop= This is the first loop on your pointer finger.
• Short Tail= This is the shorter string of yarn that ends. It should be the farthest to the right. 

Slide your crochet hook under both the main loop and the long tail of your yarn. Grab the long tail with your crochet hook. 

Pull the long tail under and through the main loop on your finger. 

Keeping the loop you have just created on your hook, reach over the main loop on your finger to hook the long tail again. 

Pull the long tail you've just hooked through the loop on your crochet hook. You have just created and cast on your first stitch!

The process for the second stitch is the same as the first. Let's do another together. Pass your crochet hook under the main loop and long tail. Catch the long tail with your hook. 

Hook and pull the long tail under the main loop on your finger. 

Keeping your newest loop on your crochet hook, pass over the main loop to hook the long tail. 

Pull the newly hooked long tail through your newest loop created in step 8. You've just created your second stitch!

Continue to repeat steps 3-6 until you have the desired number of stitches cast-on. You should see a loop below your cast on stitches, this is the magic loop.

Once you have cast on your desired number of stitches, you can transfer them to double pointed needles (DPNs). Make sure your DPNs are the same size as your crochet hook! Transfer stitches one at a time by slipping your knitting needle into the stitch on the hook and sliding it off.

Once you have all your stitches transferred, start knitting! After you have knit a few rows, pull the loose yarn end (the short tail) and the stitches should close-in creating a tight center, pull until the center is as small as you would like it.