Judy's Magic Cast-On and Magic Loop Knitting: Tutorial 1

Blessed Easter everyone...

I am so thankful for the gift of Easter...may you all have a special renewing in your hearts, may you be blessed and fulfilled this year, my friends...

I have been hard at work... here in SA it has been raining non-stop for some time...something we aren't all that used to :) but nevertheless extremely grateful for. Friends of ours at the coast have completely run out of water, their dam is dry and the local municipality are trucking in water daily...

My girls are still on holiday, so today was a day to bake muffins (vanilla with melted chocolate in the centre...), stay indoors and just veg out... they are adorable, I love them lots...

I wanted to do a post yesterday about the Magic Loop and Judy's Magic cast on...but today was fated to be the day:)

I have been a knitter for many years, and I can honestly say that nothing else has influenced my knitting to such an extent...I adapt everything possible to Magic Loop, it's just the easiest and most efficient way to knit, and serves the most important function I can think of....avoiding SEAMING!! Oh, I hate seaming/sewing etc my knitted items...I'd rather not knit if I have to sew up something :( So when I came across this technique, I was determined to master it at all costs...

You may be intimidated at first if you haven't tried this before, but let me promise you, it is just a bit of practice and you will be able to use this technique :)

I will do small bits at a time, as Magic Loop knitting can be used for such a wide variety of things, that it is potentially overwhelming...so we start small, and build on it... We will start with Judy's Magic Cast-on (which she has graciously allowed me to refer to...thank you Judy :) )
If you want to knit something with a closed bottom (think bag, sock, mitten/glove, hat, knitted toy body etc, etc), you'll want an invisible, strong "closed" side...right? Then you need to use this technique (please note: I am in no way undermining other ways/techniques...I am merely expressing what works best for me, so please don't be upset if you disagree... :) ).

Judy's Magic Cast-On: Tutorial

Right! Ready to begin?

You'll need a pair of circular needles. I use Knit Pro needles (amongst others...) because they are fabulous! Their cable/needle joins are superb and smooth, their needles pointy, and the cables are flexible and thin...at some point I will do a post on what I look for in circular needles, but for now, you need a pair of needles and a ball of yarn.

I have deliberately used two different needles (attached to the same cable...this is an interchangeable circular needle), so that you can see clearly where each needle is placed, and how they move. One needle is made of wood, one of metal. Hold your needles close together, deciding which needle will be "on top" and which will be "at the bottom". This is really important, as you will see... If you don't have two different coloured needles, take some nail polish and mark the tip of one of the needles, then you can easily identify which is which...

Hang your yarn over the top needle (in this case I have the metal needle on "top"), so that the tail is closer to you, and the yarn to the ball of wool or working yarn as I like to call it, is farther away.


Hold the tail, and moving in a counterclockwise direction, (in the above pic, to the right hand side), position the tail farthest away from you, and the working yarn will now be closest to you. Essentially you have created the first stitch on the metal needle.

Grab the yarns in your left hand, and using your thumb and index finger, splay the yarns so that you have a diamond-shaped opening (see below). Make sure that you have good moderate tension on both yarns.

As you have already added a stitch to the top needle, you need to add your next stitch to the bottom needle (all needles are created equal friends!). This is the rule: the bottom needle wants to be friends with the index finger yarn, and the top needle wants to be friends with the thumb yarn, ie stitches are added to the bottom needle via the index finger yarn, and stitches are added to the top needle via the thumb yarn.

Move both needles in the direction of the index finger yarn...this will involve a "swivel" movement (kind of like a pendulum). Your needles always point to the left, they just move up and down around a fulcrum (the stitches act as the fulcrum). Place the bottom needle over the index finger yarn, and then slip the yarn BETWEEN the needles, ie the yarn will curl around the bottom needle ONLY.

Yarn slipped between needles...

Stitch on bottom needle created...a stitch on each needle now...

You need to add the next stitch to the top needle...so off we go...swivel the needle pair towards the yarn at the thumb, the top needle will go over the yarn, and the yarn will slip between the pair of needles. Voila! another stitch done!

See? Easy...

Swivel the pair of needles back to the starting horizontal position, and your stitch is done.

Next add another stitch to the bottom needle...you do this in exactly the same way you did the first stitch on the bottom needle...

Swivel up...over the index finger yarn...

Repeat the exercise...

It's the same procedure for every stitch you add... keep going until you have the right number of stitches (if you need 36 stitches, you will keep adding until you have 18 stitches on each needle, ie you have to add the number of stitches on each needle together to get the final count).

Now you need to "anchor "your tail. This is not a fixed anchor until you have completed your first round of knitting...but it does allow you to keep the stitches together and your starting round, firm. You will remember that when we started, the tail was at the back (around the index finger). You bring it around to the front (counter-clockwise), as seen below, and hold it in your right hand, next to the needles. In the next post, I will show you how to turn your work, so that the working yarn is to your right and you can start knitting.

Bring the tail around to the front and towards your right hand, holding it close to your needles.

I hope that the tutorial makes sense...again, please accept my apologies if it appears repetitive...I am hoping that even new knitters will be able to follow, friends :)

I have done something for the first time...loaded a short video to demonstrate the steps...I hope it is clear and will load properly...please let me know if it doesn't... ha! it's a learning curve, that it is ;)

Let's hope...

Have a blessed day,

Lots of Love,

Heidi :)

Row Counter for Circular Needles Tutorial

Happy Monday everyone :)

Today is a public holiday here in South Africa, and we are all taking it easy and relaxing on a beautifully sunny day. There is a lovely calm in our garden, the little finches in our porch light are calling, the bees are buzzing around the lavender, and a drowsy sunny warmth fills the air... like the feeling of having a snooze in a patch of sunlight...

My dear friend Linda called me this morning to tell me that she had recieved some enquiries about the row counter seen in her Easter Bunny post... she wondered if I would do a tutorial. It is really such an incredibly easy thing to make, it's almost shameful to call this a tutorial...
In any event, here it is...

Circular Needle Hanging Row Counter Tutorial

Requirements:

Beads (I like to use natural " beads" as well, including pearls, semi-precious stones, glass, quartz etc), but you can use whatever takes your fancy
Bead Caps (these are the small rounded fancy caps that I use top and bottom of most beads)
Bead pins (brass, steel, copper etc)
Sharp-nosed pliers
Wire cutters
Row counters
Clasps, including lobster clasps
Charms
Bezels
Any other embellishments you might like...


I am going to be making an example of how to create this particular green row counter, but again, you can play around and try different things...

Step 1. Gather all your tools...

Step 2. Using your sharp-nosed pliers, open the loop on a bead pin slightly. These bead pins come in a huge variety of lengths, finishes and can have plain loops, plain flat ends, fancy decorative ends etc

Step 3. Slip the bezel, charm (or other looped item), over the open bead pin.
Close the loop with the pliers, ensuring that the bezel swings freely.

Step 4. Slip a bead cap over the bead pin, being careful to insert the pin through the tiny central hole as seen above.

Step 5. Slip a bead over, and then again a bead cap. The bead caps now cover the bead top and bottom.

Step 6. Slip the row counter over the bead pin, again ensuring that the pin passes centrally through the row counter. Some row counters have a central set of flanges that are meant to " hug" the straight needles that they were designed for... you want your bead pin to sit exactly in the middle of the flanges.

Step 7. Slip another bead cap over...the bead caps needn't be the same, I use smaller caps on smaller beads and vice versa.

Step 8. Slip a second bead over, and again a bead cap to make it top and bottom...

Step 9. This is the slightly tricky bit. You need to hold the entire assembly quite tightly between your fingers, so that you have a good deal of tension when you bend the top piece of bead pin. This keeps all the elements nicely together, and stops your row counter from rattling around loose and irritating...

Step 10. Bend the pin to the side first using the pliers. Still applying pressure to the row counter's top and bottom, use the pliers to " loop" the end of the pin over into a circle. Don't close the loop completely.

Step 11. Loop half closed...

Step 12. Slip the clasp onto the bead pin loop, and close snugly with your pliers.

Step 13. Make sure you don't have any snaggy bits of metal (you don't want to snag that gorgeous cashmere you got on sale... ;) )
And there you have it!!

The possibilities are endless. You can customize the row counter as you like, add theme charms, add family photo charms, use bezels that are initialed with the recipients' name, change the size of you clasps if you prefer a smaller clasp hole size, make them fancy and over the top, make them plain and functional....

The nice thing with this particular style of row counter, is that they double up as stitch markers. Just hook them over your cableneedle where you need to mark a place in your pattern. Even if you don't add a row counter, you can use the same basic techniques for making stitch markers as well. A nice gift would be to make a matching set of stitch markers, together with a matching row counter. Relatively inexpensive depending on the beads and accessories you use, quick to make and useful!

This was bit of an unplanned tutorial, so I will post party pics and maybe a little extra tomorrow, my friends...

Off to have an afternoon nap in a sun patch somewhere...

Lots of Love,

Heidi :)

How to Knit: Tutorial 1, Casting-on and The Knit Stitch

Hello all! Happy Sunday :)

I am so touched by your kind and generous comments...thank you to everyone who took time to comment! And I have taken note of all the suggestions and ideas you made...so ta-da!!!!! here is the first Tutorial about knitting. I intended to post a phototgraphy tutorial, but I think we'll leave that 'til a bit later...more interest exists for knitting it appears :)

A note to all the knitters out there...I have prepared the tutorial for ABSOLUTE beginners, and beg your forgiveness if it is over-redundant, and experienced knitters find it boring...I promise that I will build on this and add some fun and easy patterns for different purposes. Mostly, I like knitting things that are fairly quick and easy... sweaters and the like, are fabulous projects, but I get a bit bored, (I hope the Yarn Police aren't going to come for me :0 ), so I tend to knit smaller, practical items. Things I can use or gift to someone... I will also try to design some toy patterns, and quick gifts...

I will do the Knit Stitch today, and (if work isn't wildly busy tomorrow!!!!), will post a tutorial on the Purl Stitch tomorrow. This is all you will need to know in order to make the first pattern I will post during next week. It is really quite cute, and I have found that kids (and if I have to be honest ;) ), adults (ie, ME) are mesmerised by this toy. I hope you will enjoy it...

Right, down to work... :)

Step 1. You will need a pair of 3mm knitting needles (circular, as seen in the pics, or straight needles), a ball of double knit yarn, and a pair of scissors. I only use circular needles, but it makes no difference if you use straight needles. The yarn I have used here, and for the toy project, is a pure merino wool, which is hand-dyed by my friend Dana. If you would like to purchase some (and I tell you, it is gorgeous and comes in stunning bright colours!), you can contact Linda or Dana directly.

Step 2. Make a slip knot as shown in the pics above and below. (I have shown the same process in my Crochet tutorial).

Step 3. Slide your knitting needle through the loop you've just made, and pull the working yarn (this is the end that comes off the ball of wool, we call it the working yarn, because it is the end used to make all the new stitches), until a stitch is formed on your needle. I refer to the other end as the tail.

Step 4. You will now do a thumb cast-on. I prefer to use this cast-on for the toy project, because it gives a neat tightish edge, which is what you will need when you sew up the toy. You loop the working yarn over the left edge of your thumb, as shown.

Step 5. Bring your needle over to the left of the working yarn as shown.

Step 6. Slide your needle from left to right under the working yarn as shown.

Step 7. Again, pull the working yarn gently to form your second cast-on stitch.

Step 8. Needle to the left of the working yarn again...

Step 9. Slide under from left to right as before... and pull the working yarn to form the third stitch on your needle...

Step 10. Repeat the process until you have 13 stitches on your needle. You are now ready to start knitting! Well done :)

Step 11. I'll show you now, how I like to hold my yarn. This is NOT the only way to do this, but it works for me... place the working yarn over your little finger as shown.

Step 12. Wrap the working yarn around your little finger again, as seen above.

Step 13. Gently close your hand. You will hold the yarn with a little pressure, allowing it to feed evenly as you knit. It takes some practice to get used to how hard to hold the yarn... it really gets easier the more you knit. Don't be discouraged if your tension isn't perfect at first, I promise it will come right with practice.... :)

Step 14. Take your right needle, and push it through the first stitch on your left needle as seen above. You always go from front to back when you are making a "knit" stitch.
Remember the rule: ALL knitting (the craft) is made of stitches, but NOT ALL stitches are "knit" stitches. I know...it's a bit confusing...just remember that "knit" stitches are always performed from front to back...
In patterns, "knit" stitches are abbreviated as "K"

Step 15. You are still holding the working yarn to the right of your needles. Bring the yarn backwards, behind your work, and around the tip of the right needle, as seen above, ending with the yarn between the two needles.
See the pics below.

Step 16. Keeping the slight tension on your working yarn, pull the yarn through the first stitch. See the pic below.

Step 17. The working yarn has been pulled though, but you still have the remains of the first stitch on your left needle. You need to let this slip off of your left needle. Don't worry, this is right, you won't "drop" a stitch...

Step 18. Let the first stitch slip off...

Step 19. Repeat exactly as before. Finish by knitting the last stitch. All of the stitches will now be on your right needle. Cool, you're a knitter !!!! :)

As I said, tomorrow I will try to post the Tutorial on the Purl stitch.

And now! For the giveaway... I randomly drew the winner, at 10pm (SA time!), and she is...

Honey Pumpkin Mama!

Congrats! Please send me an email with your postal address, and I will get your parcel off to you asap!

I am so happy that all of the other people left comments, that I have decided to send a small gift to each of you as well (it's a surprise....), so if you would like to receive a little present, please send me your postal addresses as well :) and your parcels will too be winging their ways across the earth...

You can send a mail to heidibearscreativeblog@gmail.com

I am seriously stiff after yesterday's over activity, so I am off to slumberland! Good night all, sleep well :)

Lots of Love,

Heidi :)