have to tell you about last night’s movie. DUMA. If you love animals, enjoy
the music from Africa (or not), if you own a cat, like
or love CATS… this is your new favorite movie!!!! Starts with a young boy and a Cheetah cub, at
the I’m learning to walk and still on a bottle stage. It goes on from there. I can’t figure out how they managed to make
this film. It is unbelievable. In spite of the wonders of Netflix, this is
one movie I want to own. Do not judge
this movie by what I’m going to say next, but I had Buckaroo Bonzai sitting
next to it (another of my all time favorites, see don’t judge), and this is the
one I’d pick to own. I think I already
know most of the lines in BB, having seen it at least a dozen times. DON’T JUDGE!!
So, on Knitting: (*Please note: I have changed this post a bit since a number of you hae commented on your use of the magic loop alone to do heel flaps and gussets. I too have done them, but found it easier to use an additional dp needle to pick up the stitches on the heel flap. Thanks to all.)
Yesterday, I covered most of my reasons for using two circs when
knitting socks but a couple of you emailed me with a question about the magic
loop vs. the two circs. Method. There
are Pros and Cons to both.
2 Circs:
- No other equipment is needed. When doing the gusset pick up, you have 4
needle ends. For travelers, this is very
convenient. You never have to hunt down
an extra needle or a random toothpick, you are self contained. I like that.
- Having two circs enables me to use two different sizes of
needles on the same sock. As I said in
the previous post, I use one size smaller needle for the heel and sole of the
sock. Can’t do that with the magic loop.
- With two circs, you have to put up with and learn to completely
ignore the flopping extra needle ends that dangle from the back of your sock,
ALL THE TIME. Ignore them. That of course would be the Con and the Pro
to using the magic loop.
- Both methods give less opportunity for ladders. There’s a good thing. And you don’t have to keep adjusting your
stitches as often. Two halves, two
ladders. I pull my yarn tight on the
first stitch and do not have a problem with ladders.
Magic Loop:
- No dangling ends, but there is a loop sticking out, looking like
mouse ears or some such.
- *
You will still have to carry a couple extra needles to do the(I think it makes it easier.) Of course you could use a short row heel and avoid that part.
heel flap and the gusset that goes with it.
That’s about it. It
promises to be a cooker out there this weekend. Perfect for working on wool socks. Oh, and now spell check is out on Typepad. Lately it has been a rocky road.
Comments
7 responses to “see DUMA”
I really do love the Magic Loop method, and would rather work around the loop at the side of my work than deal with the yarn-tangling, dangling needles. I do always do short row heels whenever possible, though. Although, I’ve done heel-flaps too, with just the one, long needle . . . I’m not sure why you need two. (I’m mentally picturing the process in my head as I’m writing this comment and thinking, no, it works with the one, long, needle . . . it did on my Jaywalkers . . . didn’t it?? And starting to doubt myself!)
Since I prefer to do two socks at once whenever possible, I DO keep an extra needle (or DPNs) handy so that, if I want to just bring one sock in my purse, I can slide one of my needles to wait until I get home.
I use Magic Loop with a regular heel flap and gusset and no extra needle. All you need are a couple of stitch markers. I prefer the loop to the dangling other needle, myself.
have a great weekend, Judy.
In my mind I appreciate the two circs method, but I’ve knit with dpns for forty years and they are simply extensions of my hands now, blazing fast and no ladders ever. Seems silly to change methods at this point.
I have noticed new knitters are attracted to looped circs and tend to be a bit put off by the ninja porcupine quality of many dpns.
I’m curious what your opinion is of 12″ circs?
Must be an internet thing. Blogger’s been nothing but trouble for the last little while too.
Soon as I get used to the whole sock knitting thing I’m going to try out the 2 circs thing. Sounds interesting.
I use the magic loop method for any tricky lace or cables and two circs on simple patterns, mainly cos my two circs are bamboo and get chewed up by things involving tight stitches and the long circs are addi turbos. Getting sock sized needles here is difficult – many places don’t carry them and the ones that do often charge a bomb for them.
Hi Judy, haven’t been around much lately, but I had to comment that I do traditional heel flaps with the Magic loop. It’s a little uncomfortable for awhile, but works for me.
Loved Duma, and I also love Buckaroo Bonzai (tho don’t own it) thanks for the compare and contrast of circular and magic loop…