Magic Loop Knitting: Tutorial 2

Hi everyone!

Today I am posting the second installement of the Magic Loop Knitting Tutorials. Yesterday, I introduced you to the amazing Judy's Magic Cast-on, and today you will actually be knitting in the round using the Magic Loop...

Magic Loop Knitting Tutorial

If you look back at yesterday's post, you will see that we ended where you've cast on using Judy's Magic cast-on. Next you need to turn your work around, so that you can knit from the right hand side...

Turn your work clock-wise as seen above, so that the metal needle is still at the top. This will also mean that you need to "flip"your needles so that the wooden needle is at the bottom again, and the "purl " side is facing you.

If you compare the pics above and below, you'll see how you need to "flip"your needles, so that the metal needle is at the top again...

See how clever this cast-on method is...you have already purled your first row... if you click on the pic above, it will enlarge and you can have a good close look at the first row...perfect purl!

It is a little difficult to explain a 3D process like Magic Loop knitting, using 2D pics and words to describe the process, so please send me an email if you are unclear about anything... :)

You are ready to start knitting Round 1. Hold your knitting in your left hand, and using your right hand, pull out the metal needle towards the right hand side. Remember, you always knit with the same needle, ie in this case the metal or "top"needle (see previous post).

Be careful that you don't pull the metal needle out too far, or the cable loop at the other end of your knitting will disappear...not what you want :)

Use your left hand (and in particular, your left thumb and index finger), to hold the cable and wooden knitting needle close together, as you start knitting with the metal needle.

Also make sure that the working yarn lies OVER the back cable...

Although the "purl" side was facing up before, slightly twist the work, so that you knit into the first stitch from the "knit" side. You may wonder why...as your work grows, a little pocket will form in the middle of the needles, growing down, and then it will be easy to see where to knit into from the knit side...but in Round 1, it can seem a bit strange to knit from "underneath"so to speak...

Knitting into the first stitch...

Keep knitting, exactly as you would on straight needles... in the pic above, I have knitted 6 stitches (all on my metal needle)...notice how close my metal needle and cable are at the beginning of the round...this prevents the "laddering" sometimes seen when this join area is too loosely knit...

You've completed HALF of Round 1. Each Row/Round of knitting , must include the stitches on both sides.

Turn your work, exactly as before...

Your wooden needle cable now needs to be threaded backwards through your knitting, so that you can pull the metal needle outwards to the right side again...

When the wooden needle tip is close to the knitting, pull the metal needle outwards to the right hand side, just as before, and start to knit again...

You are starting to knit the second half of the first Row/Round.

Knit to the end of the row...

Well done, you have completed the first round of your knitting... now turn your work, as before, and start knitting Row/Round 2.

I hope you will persevere in learning to do a Magic Loop, it will change the way you knit, my friends!

As it is Easter Sunday tomorrow, I won't be doing a post, but on Monday, I will post instructions for a project, using this technique... It's simple, cute and fairly quick to make, perfect for a gift for a special little someone...

Onto other things...

A few interesting links: this is a dream come true...I want one! No, that would be incorrect, I need to have one... ;) I am definitely going to see this (LOVED the books!), enjoyed this, and

had a good laugh at this (Please note: this is for adults...)

Hope you all have a special Easter...Bless you all!

Lots of Love,

Heidi :)

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 :)

Magic Loop Tutorial Tomorrow...

Hi everyone,

Today was a good day...but admittedly a pressing day...I spent hours trying to catch up on admin... not a very creative past-time :( so dear friends, I am too exhausted to do much more than read a bit and go to bed...forgive me...

BUT...happy day (tomorrow!), I will be posting the first of several tutorials on Magic Loop Knitting, and Judy's Magic Cast-on... this is the most awesome technique, and I LOVE it! The possibilities are endless, and as we go, I will add some simple projects using what you've learned!

I hope you will visit tomorrow :)
Sleep tight!
Lots of Love,
Heidi :)

Heli Fun!

Hi and happy Wednesday :)

Today is a quick post, as it seems Blogger may still be experiencing some difficulties (?), and my pics have taken forever to upload :(

These are pics taken on a helicopter flight with my dear friend Pete (who is a fantastic pilot). We flew over the Johannesburg area, up to Hartebeespoort Dam.
It was my first heli flight and I was a bit nervous, but enjoyed every minute once I was up in the air! What an experience :) Thank you Pete!

Gorgeous fields of cosmos flowers...growing wild...

Soccer City.

The Johannesburg General Hospital...I spent many loooong years here! Strange to see it from the air!

Hartebeespoort Dam.

Well, tomorrow will have something new...

Sleep well,

Love ,

Heidi :)

Easter cookies: A recipe you just have to try...

Happy Day! Blogger is working...

Last night I tried in vain to do a post, as Blogger seemed to have a few glitches... but here I am back today with the next installment of the travelling Easter Tree.

I wondered what to do next to decorate our little tree, and decided on the Easter cookies, because it allows the kiddies to do something as well...and of course eat up everything afterwards!

Easter Cookies

These are truly the most delicious cookies I have ever tasted :) I have spent what seems like forever perfecting this particular recipe and am so happy to share it with you...

Ingredients:

5 cups cake flour

3 heaped teaspoons baking powder

1 and a half cups of fine castor sugar

350g butter

real vanilla essence/paste/extract (I used vanilla paste 3 tblsps, but you need to decide how strong your vanilla is an adjust accordingly...that said, I tend to put quite a lot, so that you can smell the vanilla in the final cookie)

4 Tblsps golden syrup

2 extra large eggs

Mix all your dry ingredients in a bowl.

Cut the butter into small squares, which makes the mixing easier in the food processor.

Mix the blocked butter into the dry ingredients until you have a light and crumbly mixture. I just do the mixing in my Kenwood, it's easier than doing it by hand....

In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, golden syrup and the vanilla.

Pour the liquid ingredients into the mixer slowly while letting it run.

The resultant dough shouls be easy to work, not cracking easily but not sticky. If you have got sticky dough, you can just add a small amount of cake flour until the consistency is right.

Roll out onto a suitable surface using a rolling pin. I have chosen an egg shaped cookie cutter, but also cut out some small cookies using my girls play-do cutters (wash these well before use...) These smallies make the best cookie cutters, and they come in such cute shapes and sizes (adorable, little things). Use a flat spatula to pick up the cut-outs and place on a baking tray that you have sprayed well with non-stick spray.

Bake at 160 degrees Celsius for approximately 10 minutes. You really need to watch them , because ovens vary and 160 degrees in my oven may not mean 160 degrees in your oven!! They are ready to be taken out when they are a lovely golden brown, but still a little moist on the inside.

Afetr you have taken them out of the oven, use a plastic straw to make a small hole at one end. The cookie will still be warm inside and its's easy to make a neat round hole...This will be for the ribbon to go through.

Wait until the cookies have cooled down completely on a wire rack and then decorate to your hearts' content :)

Hope you enjoy!

Our Share the Love Heart Swap is filling up nicely...

Please would Kate, Curley Monkey and Cute Little Thing email me with addresses, blog addresses and email addresses...I need to send you your partner's details :)

Have a wonderful Day!

Lots of Love,

Heidi :)