A magic day in knitting

I finally started to use the lion brand magic stripes my grandma gave me. She had picked up three skeins of it because she found it for 85% off!!!!!! She had never knit a sock before, being a crocheter, but who in their right mind can refuse yarn that is that discounted? Well back when I made my first socks I was working on them over at her house so she brought out these very precious skeins that had been fermenting in her stash for 3 years now and gifted them upon me.

I had been upset at knitting socks because of my last pair. The cotton ones that I hand dyed did fit, however they did not fit inside my shoes with my feet in them. Now finishing my first sock with actual sock yarn I think I know were I went wrong with my hand dyed yarn. Sock yarn is a much lighter weight yarn than I though it was so using a size 1 needle on the cotton made it way to thick. Next time I'm using a three because my cotton it probably closer to worsted.

I was annoyed at knitting socks because of the double pointed needles, I just plain don't like them. So this time I gave 2 circulars a go. I ran over to the craft store and the only size 2's that they had had a 29" cord, I wasn't to happy about it being so long but bought it anyway since it was the only one. I started the first sock toe up and finished increasing for the toe and the long cir was driving me almost as crazy and the double pointed needles where and wanted to cry. But that is when it hit me. I had heard about the magic loop before only needing one large circular needle, exactly what I had. So now not only are these magic stripe yarn but also done on the magic loop. I love it.

Magic loop is actually very easy and I don't understand why anyone would make socks any other way. But then maybe I am a bit obsessive about things not being clumsy and in the way. I found a very complete list of sites on the magic loop and learned after about 5 min.