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!

Chicks (with Sticks)!

Part 1: Chicks

First, an update on Operation Chicken Little.  It's an outstanding success!  

The babies are very active and wanting to explore everything. 

This afternoon, G.W. and I were in the coop refilling the feed hoppers. I needed the help because I threw my S1 joint out and I'm more or less an invalid right now. G.W. is an effective, but stern nurse!

Any-who, Momma Hen was pacing inside the isolation pen and acting very agitated. I thought maybe it was time to let her and the babies out to mingle with the flock. Since most of the flock was outside free-ranging, it was a good opportunity to see what Momma would do.

I opened up the little pen and Momma came right out. Alone. The babies stayed in.  Momma stretched her legs, scratched around a bit, pooped, then went back into the pen with her babies.  Interesting. All she seemed to want was a minute or two to herself. <All the human Moms are nodding in agreement right now>

One of the babies climbed up on their water jar to see where Momma went.

 "All I want is some time away from those kids!"

I have another eight chicks on order for the first week in May.  Say a prayer that I have another broody hen who is ready, willing and able to foster them!  

Part 2: Chick with sticks


During the winter, I switch from my outdoor hobbies like gardening to indoor hobbies. I call them "chair hobbies" since they're things I do while sitting in a chair. (Usually while watching a movie) This winter I decided to learn how to knit. 

I've been a crocheter since I was about 10 or 12 years old. I taught myself using a book from the 1940's that I inherited from my Great Aunt Margaret. But knitting always intimidated me a little. I think it was the idea of using two knitting needles. Some years ago, I learned how to do the basic knit and purl stitches but never took it any further.

This book, Fearless Knitting Workbook by Jennifer E. Seiffert, has been my guide.  It's a wonderful tutorial where you make 8" x 8" practice squares with each lesson. 

Within just a few weeks I'd completed these squares while learning to increase, decrease, read patterns and charts and use various cable techniques. I think I'm going to piece some of the squares together for pillow covers.

There are many other lessons in the Fearless Knitting Workbook that I haven't done yet. The ones on lace knitting look interesting!

Next up was a scarf for G.W. in the colors of his favorite football team, the Denver Broncos. It was just a simple ribbed pattern but gave me tons of practice with knit and purl stitches.

Piper likes to help me knit. She says, "If I only had disposable thumbs, I'd knit, too".  I think she means "opposable" thumbs! But that doesn't stop her from playing hard with the yarn and knitting needles.

This is my first project knitting in the round. It's a stocking cap for G.W. made with Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool yarn. 

I found the pattern for it on a blog called Hats for Israeli Soldiers. It's the pattern people use to make and donate wool caps for soldiers in the IDF (Israel Defense Forces).

The pattern is available in both English and Hebrew.  Neat, huh?

G.W. teases me now with the nickname "Knit Wit".  That came about because he asked me a question while I was counting knitting stitches and I answered him with louder counting.  If you knit/crochet, you will understand that completely!

Now I'm trying a new knitting technique called Magic Loop. Come back next week for details on what it is, why people use it and how I'm coming along with learning it. (Hint: right now, it's not pretty. Not pretty at all!)

Also next week, using the "deep litter method" in the chicken coop. 

Winter Centerpiece

Now that ol' man winter has arrived and looks to be settling in for the long haul, there's not a whole lot going on outside. It's time to pick up my indoor hobbies.  Winters are long and hard here in the Rockies and you need an indoor hobby.

This means you'll be seeing more 'crafty'-type posts from me for a while. With Christmas coming up faster than I can believe, I'm working on those types of projects now.

When I was in Michael's craft store picking up supplies to make the soaps, one of their project cards caught my eye. I found it again on their website.

Cedar Lodge Bird and Branch Mantel Piece

It's a centerpiece with twigs and artificial pine. Here's my finished version.

I don't have any real flower arranging experience, but this is very easy to make. Here's my cast of characters:

The winter artificial greenery was on sale for just a couple of bucks. I got the sticks from the yard.

I used wire cutters to take apart the bush.

Once I got the sticks arranged in a way I liked, I tied them with a bit of burlap ribbon then began adding the greenery.

Before hot gluing or wiring everything together, just lay it all on without fastening so you can move things around.

You want it to be balanced, but not too symmetric. This is supposed to be rustic-looking.

When making a centerpiece, remember that it will be visible from all sides. Turn it around and check how it looks from all angles.

My greenery bush had several bunches of red berries that I thought I was going to put in. I changed my mind when I realized that if I did, my little cardinal would blend in. I wanted him to stand out. 

I've got about $7 worth of materials and 30 minutes of time in this. I think the cardinal is the best part!

"Homemade" Soap with Pantry Ingredients

I'm giving some of these homemade soaps as Christmas gifts, so I hesitated in writing this, since I'd be giving away my secret. These soaps are very easy to make, but look as if you spent hours handcrafting them.  The surprising simplicity was just too good not to share. 

The ingredients are readily found at craft stores and in your own pantry.  Here's the cast of characters:
Store-bought soap in both the suspension formula:

(Suspension formula keeps added ingredients suspended throughout the bar of soap instead of letting the ingredients settle to the bottom. I chose a goat milk based soap.)

...and in the regular, clear glycerin  formula. Both are available at craft stores.

I'm 'flavoring' this batch of soap with oatmeal, brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Yes, that's instant oatmeal! The vanilla is an essential oil that I picked up at the craft store.  

You can easily create your own custom blended flavor. I thought honey and ginger would be nice. Or lavender vanilla. I love the scent of patchouli, which is available as an essential oil. You're only limited by your imagination!

The craft stores sell molds for making soap. As I was standing in Michael's craft store with the $5 round soap mold in my hand, I suddenly recognized the shape. The bottom of yogurt cups! The molds looked almost the same as the bottom of the cups of Greek yogurt I love to eat!

Instead of spending the $5 on the mold, I saved the cups from my daily yogurt (washed out, of course!).

Making the soap couldn't be easier!  Cut the brick of soap base into squares and drop them into a microwave-safe container. I started with the goat milk suspension soap base for my first layer.

After about a minute and a half in the microwave, the soap was melted.

Now is the time to add your custom ingredients. I stirred in some of the brown sugar oatmeal and about a dozen drops of the vanilla essential oil, then poured the liquid into the yogurt cups.  Using the suspension formula soap base keeps the oatmeal from settling to the bottom.  

I filled the yogurt cups about 3/4 of an inch deep for this layer.

This first layer needs to cool and harden before I pour in the second layer. It only takes about 30 minutes to cool.

For the second layer of soap, I melted the regular, clear glycerin soap base and flavored it with a little cinnamon and some of the vanilla essential oil. 

There are air bubbles in the liquid soap and they rise to the surface. 

The soaps look prettier if there aren't any air bubbles. I did a little internet research and found that a spray bottle with rubbing alcohol is all you need. 

Spritz the surface of the liquid soap with a little rubbing alcohol and the bubbles (almost all) disappear.

My internet research on air bubbles in soap also taught me that soap layers will stick together better if you spritz the first layer with a little of the rubbing alcohol before adding the next layer. 

Here are my yogurt cups with the soaps. 

I let them cool for a few hours, then popped the soaps out.

I might be biased, but I think they look pretty and not at all like homemade soaps from yogurt cups!

In this photo, you can see both layers clearly.

 I test drove the soap myself and I love it! Lovely scent and beautiful lather. It didn't dry out my sensitive skin, either.

Isn't this amazingly easy?  Try it yourself and see! If you do, please let me know how it goes and what flavorings you choose.