What is the magic loop in knitting?
The magic loop allows you to knit a tube/continuous circle without using double pointed needles or a fixed circular needle size.
It’s great for knitting smaller items that require increasing and decreasing in the round (like mittens – or lobsters 😜).
Materials needed to knit using the magic loop technique
A circular needle with a long cord (e.g. 80cm)
Wool
How to magic loop knitting basic video tutorial:
Magic loop tips and instructions:
Cast on your stitches, then slide them to the middle of the cord
Divide the stitches evenly, pinch the cord and pull a loop of the cord through the middle point of your stitches
Slide the stitches down to the mid point of the loop at the top and the needles at the bottom. You will have two parallel rows of your stitches on each side of the cord, and a loop at the top
Slide the half of the stitches that does *not* have any wool attached to the tip of your left needle (or right needle if you are left handed)
Leave the other stitches on the cord (don’t slide them onto the needle)
Take the empty needle in your right (left if left handed) hand, pick up your working wool, and start knitting!
Once you get to the end of the first half of the stitches, flip your work so the needles are now in opposite hands
Slide the stitches you haven’t yet knit (the ones on the cord) to the tip of your left needle, then slide the stitches that are on your right needle down onto the cord
Start knitting again! You will notice the loops from the cord hanging out either side of your work. These prevent your stitches from sliding off, give you enough space and flexibility to increase or decrease as you need – and they look cool 😎
Repeat this process – as you knit, you can increase or decrease stitches as the pattern dictates
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