Deluxe Baby Blanket / Crocheting the Beginning

Hi,
I’m crocheting the Deluxe Baby Blanket. I just don’t quite understand the beginning.

It says:
Round 1:
Make a magic ring. Chain 4 (replaces 1 double crochet and 1 chain). Crochet “1 double crochet, 1 chain.” Repeat until you have a total of 8 double crochets with 1 chain between each. Chain 1 and finish with 1 slip stitch.

The magic ring and the chain stitches are clear, but where do I start crocheting the double crochets now? Into the chain stitches—but then I’ll only get 4 double crochets—and then continue into the magic ring? Or crochet into the magic ring?? It’s turning out kind of weird.

And where should I finish?

I’m a total beginner—I somehow managed to do it the first time, but it doesn’t look like the pattern.
I hope you can help me.

Best regards, Beatrix

Dear Beatrix,

I think what they mean is that you should crochet the double crochets into the 1st chain. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th chain stitches count as 1 double crochet. That means you crochet 7 more double crochets into the 1st chain stitch (i.e., the 4th one counting from the hook). In between, crochet 1 chain each time.

Finish the round with 1 slip stitch in the topmost of the 3 turning chains.

That should do the trick.

Best regards, Silke

I understand it as crocheting the double crochets into the magic ring. (What else would the ring be for?)
So: make a magic ring, crochet 4 ch,
then 1 dc into the magic ring, 1 ch, then again:
1 dc into the magic ring and 1 ch. 
Crochet a total of 7 dc + 1 ch like this.
Then crochet 1 sl st into the 3rd ch at the beginning of the ring.

Hi, you two, :-))) Now I have two options. I’ll try Silke’s first suggestion to see how it turns out. Otherwise, I’ll go with suggestion number 2 from ruthk.

Thanks for now—I’ll let you know how it went.

Best regards, Beatrix

Hello Beatrix,

ruthk is absolutely right :-)
You crochet into the magic ring (= Magic Ring/MR):
4 ch (count as 1 dc + 1 ch), then continue—as ruthk described—1 dc, 1 ch (7 times total), then 1 sl st into the 3rd of the 4 beginning chains to close the circle.

Best, Marion