Well, it’s a learning process, eh? I started this bag on DPNs, first three and then four when there proved to be too many stitches for three needles to handle. Then I went to two circulars and found that to be quite a lot easier and faster than the DPNs, but still awkward when going from one needle to the other. Last night I remembered the Magic Loop. I had first read about the technique at String and Air, Judy Gibson’s knitting pages. And of course there is the booklet (which I haven’t seen), “Magic Loop” by Bev Galeskas and Sarah Hauschka. Finally there is this instructional web page by K. St. John.
I didn’t refer to any of them before I started because I figured that all I needed to know was that you pull the cable slack through the stitches.
Not quite enough stitches to go around
I’ve got 108 stitches going around here on a long size 6 (US) needle. There aren’t quite enough to meet for comfortable, standard circular knitting. So, after I had knitted all the stitches onto the circular needle, I pulled out a loop of cable to take up the slack.
Cable loop pulled out
This is a Susan Bates needle and I love it for a couple of reasons. The finish on the needles is conducive to quick, smooth knitting. The stitches never get hung up on the join and the cable itself is very soft and flexible. I believe it’s one of their Quicksilver line. Anyway, as you can see in the above picture, I pulled out the loop about 3/4s of the way around the knitting. That way, the loop was out of the way of my hands and I wasn’t hitting it every time I made a stitch.
Time for a new loop
When the loop had worked its way around so that it was below my left hand, I just moved it by pulling the cable out again back where the loop had been in the first place.
Doing it this way, the knitting was fast and easy - no juggling DPNs while trying to establish cables and bobbles, and no weirdness where needles met and swapped off. I couldn’t believe it was this easy!
Of course there’s more to it than that. What I did more closely resembles the kind of thing Judy Gibson writes about, But it doesn’t work on small circumferences (I know, I tried last night - socks? Socks? All on one needle? Let me at ‘em!!!). That’s not to say that the magic loop technique doesn’t work, only that the way I employed it wouldn’t work. This morning while I was ferreting around, digging up the links I wanted for this post, I read through St. John’s tutorial (linked above) and the actual technique is a bit different than what I was doing. So I’ll be returning to that tutorial and working out the right way to do it.
Cause, boy, making socks this way would rock the house down! And what do I need a house for as long as I’ve got nice, warm socks?
No trackbacks yet.
And hey there is another way of working small amt of sts….. use your circular and a dpn. The dpn acts as a short circuit. I cannot find the link that I read about it on oh a year ago I think but the way I remember it{and worked it with only foggy memory to serve me} was to put some sts on the dpn and knit around the circumference *including the dpn* with the circular then to knit a few inches onto dpn and continue onward with circular til all sts used up including the dpn’s sts repeat ad nauseum. BTW if anybody recognizes this technique and can lead me to source I would be most grateful :^> I like to give credit where credit is due but google fails me.
Elka - That’s really interesting, I’d never heard of it! People are so creative about solving problems!
I’ve got to try the magic loop method - just something I haven’t gotten to yet. Thanks for the heads up!
Oh…by the way….don’t go read my blog today, ‘kay?
(Isn’t that a terrible thing to say? Like, “Whatever you do, don’t think about a pink elephant.” hehehe) Anyway, just so you know, I’m sure you make lovely socks…really. And I fully support your right to knit them. ::::grin:::
What great ideas! I’m trying to use circs anytime I can, and that will definitely help! Thanks
Bron - Too late :) But I fully support your right to knit or not knit anything durned thing you like! Knitty recently had a knitted womb - talk about a WTF? At least for me…
Laura - I just stumbled on this myself but it sure seems promising for a left-handed, all-thumbs knitter :) Whee!
Robin:
I’ve been knitting with the ML technique for over a year and a half. Never even attempted to make socks until I discovered it! When you get the technique down, you can move on to a 40 inche circular and knit both socks at the same time! Turn at the same time. End at the same time. They are both the same exact length. And when you make those little Opps! You can repeat it immediately and they are the same. Really classy.
Blessings,
Karen in AZ
Karen - The notion of doing both socks at the same time is very appealing so I will probably undertake to figure that out :) I’ve got a 47” needle which should, I think, do the trick :) It sure is a cool technique!
