Magic Loop Knitting

I've been knitting for about four months now and can't imagine why I was ever intimidated by the thought of using two needles at once!

When I started knitting in the round, I made this cap for G.W. as my practice piece. I did it on a circular knitting needle.

In searching Pinterest for knitting patterns, I came across a technique called "Magic Loop". It's a way to knit small tubes like socks or mittens on one long circular needle versus double pointed needles. When using double pointed needles, you can end up with something called "ladders" where you switch from one needle to the next. It's tough to keep those transition stitches tight. The loose stitches are obvious, like rungs on a ladder. The Magic Loop technique eliminates that problem.

I found a very clear step-by-step guide to Magic Loop over on Tin Can Knits and got rolling.

You need one circular knitting needle at least 32 inches long.  

I'm using this yarn for the example.  It'll become the first pair of socks I'll try knitting.

Cast on the number of stitches you need for your pattern. I cast on 32 stitches for a test swatch. (which I'm using to determine gauge for the socks)

Slide all the stitches to the cable part of the needle, keeping the tail and your working yarn on the right.

Find the middle of your cast on stitches. Bend the cable and pull it to the left, through the gap between your stitches. Since I cast on 32 stitches, I pulled the cable through between stitches 16 and 17.

Pull the cable until your stitches are on the needle part. You'll have half of your stitches on each needle. Be sure to arrange your work so that the last stitch you cast on is on the back needle. This positions the working yarn on the back needle.

Now slide the stitches on the back needle to the cable part. This needle becomes your right hand needle.

Knit the stitches on the left needle just like you were using straight needles. It does look like knitting on double pointed needles, though. Knit all the stitches on the left needle.

Turn your work so the needles are pointing to the right.

Slide the stitches on the new front needle to the working position on the needle. Slide the stitches on the back needle to the cable part. Again, the back needle becomes your working, or right hand, needle.

Knit the stitches on the front needle. Now you've completed one round of your knitting.

That's all there is to it. You just keep knitting half, then sliding the stitches around on the circular needle to position them for working the other half of one round.

Yup, it looks confusing. There are weird loops of cable needle sticking out of both sides of your work. And it can be challenging at first to figure out how to turn your work and reposition the stitches on the cable. Trust me, it is easy once you get the hang of it.

I decided to make a neck gaiter for G.W. (to match his stocking cap) as my Magic Loop practice piece. After I was about two or three inches into it, the technique became second nature.

If somebody like me who has only been knitting for a very short time, can master the Magic Loop, you can do it, too!  It's easy peasy!  Give it a whirl, then come back and tell me what you think!

In the event you get yourself mixed up with the technique, you can go to your LYS (local yarn store) with your yarn and needles. It's almost guaranteed someone there is familiar with Magic Loop and can help you out.

Alternately, I can try to help you out through this blog. Use the comments section to contact me and I'll do what I can to walk you through it.

Have fun!