Saturday, December 14, 2013

Two Socks, One Week: How Do I Set Up Magic Loop? (Tutorial)*

Let me start by thanking every person who's ever uploaded a video tutorial - whether I liked it or not. This whole "watch me while I show you" thing is a challenging process requiring good technology, the ability to speak clearly and intelligently for minutes at a time, charisma, comfort with the medium and an ability to keep your freakin' hands in the frame.

I cannot say that I have been overly successful on any of these fronts but I do want to share my process with you, if only to show you that "regular people knitting" is an actual thing. Furthermore, my goal is to be your hostess and guide on a learning and creative journey I hope we will undertake together from Dec. 29 - Jan. 5. (That's a plug. Pls. see the sidebar for a the KAL post archive.)

I truly hope this video gives you a meaningful sense of the how of magic loop cuz, if it doesn't, I sure as hell have wasted many hours. Of course, on camera, I forgot to say one of the most relevant things, IMO, about how magic loop suffers: by its name!

Magic loop is actually not about creating one loop (the one we all think of when we talk about dividing the stitches on either side of the cable and pulling that loopy cable out from between them (see video for more).) Magic loop is TWO loops. The second one is entirely necessary and, for people who struggle with the method, potentially overlooked.

You'll observe, as you watch the endless footage of me knitting, that in order to join the flat cast on row into a small-diameter tube, the first thing I have to do is to "pull the back needle out" (moving the stitches, formerly on that needle, onto the cable) so that the back needle, when it joins the front needle to create the first (or next) stitch of the round, produces the second loop.

If it doesn't make sense here, don't worry. You really will see it ad nauseum (but not particularly artfully) in the video.

A couple of other points because I'm vain:
  • My house does not look as crappy as it does in the video (even though there's not much of it to see). Lighting video is apparently an art, as all the porn cinematographers will tell you.
  • Yeah, my hands really are as huge as they look on the screen. I have huge hands. What can I say except they're not as noticeable when you see the rest of me at the same time. And on that note, I really have to start showering more often and putting on makeup. I've hidden my hideousness because, duh. 
And now, without further ado:

How to Begin A Simple Sock, worked in Magic Loop: The First Three Rounds Set Up

Round 1:


I hope you can laugh @8 minute mark when my hands completely leave the frame - despite the fact that I speak about what they're doing at length. Just go with it...

Round 2: 



Round 3:


Moving to Round 4:



I was all set to trash-talk DPNs compare DPNs to magic loop in the next post :-) but alas, I'm not smart enough yet to have figured out how DPNs work. I guess I'll have to omit that element of the KAL because, if I don't have the knowledge, I don't have the knowledge. So, next up, some detailed discussion about the pattern.

Till then, please leave feedback if these videos make sense - or even more so if they don't! We don't want them out there in the universe if they need improving. And, if they do make sense - and you're new to the method - please do a bit of practice over the next couple of weeks. Then, you'll be old-hat at the cast-on and magic loop set up by the time we start the fun stuff.


*I considered calling this "Magic Loop in 4 Easy Videos of a Total Duration of Approximately 20 Minutes" but, on balance, I don't imagine that that title is an up-sell.

21 comments:

  1. I love this, and it makes me want to hang out STAT! Speaking of which, Andrea from Stitch Parade and Sara from Hamilton Chicks/@moonkun76 and I have plans to go check out Shall We Knit in Waterloo on Sat, Jan 4th. Any chance you are free???

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    1. Hey - emailing about this to make it easier. But I would love to go! Is this the place that started doing the Custom Fit on site?

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  2. I love love love these video tutorials. Also, I expected you to speak with a Canadian accent (nope!) -- I don't know why. Great tutorials -- I'm going to try magic loop while I'm off for the next 2 - 3 weeks. . .

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    1. If not a Canadian accent, then what! :-) Thanks so much for getting through them all - I know that's quite an effort! But I hope they help you to get going with the loop method.

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    2. Actually, K-Line does speak with a Canadian accent!

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  3. Nice job, Kristin! I'm still not on board with magic loop, but I liked your videos!

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    1. Gail - your comment means so much to me because your videos are so excellent! (As is your knitting.) We can agree to like different methods, yes? Who knows, maybe I'll like DPNs eventually. We had a fascinating knit session today (Andrea, Sarah and me) and I learned some AMAZING things about my knitting vs. Sarah's which I'll share in my next post. Point is, I think I know why some things are more difficult for me to pick up (aside from learning curve, of course). That doesn't mean I won't strive to learn. Really, after this sock, it's Continental time. But only for knit stitch to begin with.

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    2. You're so sweet :-) I'd forgotten to say thanks for the mention. Also, I always find it fascinating to see how other people knit - and I had no idea you're left handed! I wish I could have been there to hang out with the three of you. One day!

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    3. I'm going to post your video soon. I just couldn't bring myself to put it in this post because the difference in quality is so pronounced, I can't undermine my efforts that much! (Too vain.) Come visit us soon!

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  4. I've just watched the first video and so far it makes perfect sense :) I've also realised that I used a version(my own awkward version!) of magic loop, to do the sleeves on my miette cardigan - before giving up and working them flat, meaning I had a sleeve seam to stitch. Glad I now know what magic loop is!

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    1. Thank you Chris! Glad to hear. Isn't it great when you figure out the little extra thing that turns a "sort of" method into a useful one?

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  5. Loved hearing your voice. Interesting... you sound just about how I expected you to!

    Maybe it is just because our accents are similar and it is an easy thing to assume? Oh, and VERY Canadian. :-D

    So nice hearing you speak 'in the real' and not just read your words!

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    1. You're so sweet! I do love hearing bloggers when possible. It adds to the full experience of "knowing" the writer.

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  6. Is magic loop what I would call circular needles?

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    1. Hi Emmie: Fiddleydee (in comment below) articulates it well. Magic loop is one of the things you can do on circular needles. I actually don't own any needles that aren't circular but I use them for flat knitting, knitting in the round OR small diameter knitting in the round (which is what magic loop allows you to do). So, for ex, I can knit a sweater body, in the round, on circular needles and NOT do magic loop. It's not necessary as long as the tube you're making is the "right" size for the needle cable length. (That's a bit of a story so let's leave it for this comment...) When you do socks or sleeves, the tube is tinier than most cable lengths (most but not all - there are crazy small needles but they're usually considered to be very uncomfortable to use). So, in order to keep using your cable needles (which some people prefer to DPNs) they use the magic loop method. That's what I'm showing in the video - how to make a little tube with cable needles, the cable of which is longer than the span of the tube.

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    2. Thanks! I've been confused for ages!!

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  7. Ok this is going to be interesting, knitting on circular needles is completely new to me. Sooooo magic loop doesn't mean the circular needles per se, but the way you knit on them to make a tube, ie no seam to stitch when finished?

    What method of casting on do you use? Couldn't catch the name. Does it matter which method is used? Is the edge supposed to be firm or looser?

    BTW, videos are very helpful - no need to fuss over lighting or hands or how awkward you felt, it was fine. I've seen worse on youtube! At least you didn't have a massive coughing attack in the middle.

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    1. That's right - it doesn't mean the circular needles! (See my comment above.) Mind you, you can use circulars on larger tubes (like sweaters) and you won't have to use magic loop method because it's used for SMALL diameters - not for those where there are many stitches on the cable of the "correct" length, simply when there are very few. Without pulling out the loops, you wouldn't be able to do your knitting with a mere 60 stitches. Give it a try and you'll see what I mean. The cable would be way too long. By the way, double pointed needles (DPNs) do exactly the same thing - a seamless tube - but that method uses more needles.

      I used long-tail cast on. Knittinghelp.com has the tutorial I learned from. It's a very useful video. It makes a stretchy edge - though it's not as stretchy as some. It is apparently, more stretchy than most and it works in most circumstances. It's a good one to learn. You could use another cast on (cable cast on, for example) but I'm not an expert in the various kinds. I use long-tail 75 per cent of the time. The other 25 per cent I use cable cast on or the method recommended by the pattern.

      Thanks for your comment! I did try to keep the coughing to a minimum.

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  8. Okay, I just watched the first video. You asked for feedback so I'm gonna give it: it's quite good. In fact, it is so good that it makes me want to say "screw Christmas gift making, I want to sit here and knit socks using magic loop ALL DAY LONG". But, alas, this last pesky Christmas gift is for my mom and it needs to get done today. I will revisit this video, and will watch the rest, tonight. Getting very excited about trying on this new method. Thanks so much for taking the time to post these videos.

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    1. Thanks A! That's a wonderful compliment! We can always get together and do you cast on together if that appeals to you. It's nice to have someone sitting there the first time...

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