Today I have another tutorial for you which will come in handy for my latest pattern, the Borealis Socks or any other project that requires you to work a small circumference in the round. Ever since discovering magic loop I have never looked back. I now favour this method over using DPNs as I find it less fiddly (also I’m a lot less likely to sit on, and break, a needle!) so I thought I would share the love with you here.
1. Cast on the desired number of stitches as normal, using a 80 cm/ 32″ or longer circular needle.
2. Split the stitches in half by pulling the cable out to form a loop between the middle two stitches. You should now have half the stitches sitting on one needle and the same number of stitches sitting on the other.
3. Making sure that the cast-on edge isn’t twisted, move the first stitch you cast on from needle two (bottom in the picture) to needle one (top in the picture). Then move the last stitch you cast on (that has the working yarn) from needle one, over the stitch you have just moved, and on to needle two. Your work is now joined in the round.
4. It’s now time to start knitting! Pull out needle two (with the working yarn attached) so that the stitches are sat on the cable, but so there is still a small loop of cable at the end of needle one. Knit the stiches on needle one as specified in the pattern, making sure to pull the first stitch a little tighter to avoid a ladder between the stitches on the needle and those on the cable.
5. When you reach the end of needle you need to rearrange your stitches. Pull needle one through so that the stitches are resting on the cable. Pull the cable through so that the stitches sit on needle two. Rotate your needles so that needle two is now on top. Your work should look like the picture.
6. Knit the stitches from needle two as specified in the pattern, remembering to pull the first stitch a little tighter to avoid a ladder between that stitch and the stitch on the cable. Continue until all stitches on needle two have been worked. You have now knit one round.
7. With this method you should be working with the needle closest to you to avoid knitting the piece ‘inside out’. This is often easier to spot once you have knit a few rounds. It can also be beneficial to hang a lockable stitch marker from the last stitch to remind you where the end of the round is. I tried to use an ordinary stitch marker once and found it down the sofa months later!
As with anything it can take a little practice but once you find your rhythm with how you prefer to rearrange your stitches, you too could be converted to this way of knitting! I certainly find it a lot quicker than knitting with DPNs.