Crocheting Around Rings – February 2020

Many hoop earrings, mandalas and even large dream catchers have crochet work which is attached to a ring. This can be a bit daunting as a project if you have never crocheted around a ring before. The below sets out some ways to approach it.

When starting the first round of your crochet with working around the ring:

1. The best stitch to use for crocheting around rings is the double crochet (Australian terminology).
2. Sewing the ends in after you have completed your first round can be difficult, so you are best to crochet over the tail as you go.
3. Keep the tension on your yarn so the stitches are sitting against the ring (they don’t need to be over tight, but you don’t want the stitch to be too loose that it sags below the ring and leaves gaps).
4. As you crochet the double crochets around the ring, they can begin to twist – that’s ok, just ensure before you join with a slip stitch that you twist them all around the right way. But you don’t want the stitch you are working on to be twisting – See step 8 for how to stop this happening.
5. Begin with a slip knot on your hook.
6. Hold the ring in your left hand (right-handed) and your hook with the slip knot in your right hand.
7. Hold the tail of the yarn against the ring with the left hand and ensure the working end of the yarn is above the ring.
8. Insert your hook with the slip knot through the ring (front to back), yarn over and pull the loop back through the ring to give you two rings on your hook. (You may need to use your thumb and middle finger to hold this yarn against the ring to stop it spinning as you complete the next steps.) Yarn over again and pull through both loops on your hook.
   You have now completed your first double crochet around the ring.
9. Continue working double crochets around the ring by inserting your hook through the ring (front to back), holding the yarn so it doesn’t spin and ensuring the working end of the yarn is always on the top of the ring.
10. As you work around the ring, you will need to pull the stitches on the ring towards you to fit in the number of stitches you need, or to ensure the ring is evenly covered. Don’t be afraid to squash the stitches up, as you need room to maneuver at the end to join with the slip stitch. When completed, you can then spread the stitches out evenly.
11. If you are working more stitches on top of this round of double crochets, it can feel tight – ensure you are using a pointed hook rather than a rounded hook, as this will make it easier to insert. Working the second round can be hard on your hands – take regular breaks if your ring is large.

Attaching crochet work to a ring – you don’t need to begin with a slip knot as you already have a loop on your hook. Work can be attached to a ring at points or in every stitch – the technique is the same. For the indicated stitch where you are attaching to the ring – hold that stitch against the ring and insert you hook through the stitch and through the ring (front to back) at the same time, yarn over, pulling the loop back through the ring and the stitch.