Knitting Tutorial: How to Do Magic Loop

Learn how to do magic loop with this beginner-friendly tutorial—plus find more guides on my knitting tutorial page.

So you’ve found a pattern that calls for double-pointed needles, but your heart sank a little at the thought of juggling all those pointy sticks. Been there. That’s exactly why I’m sharing how to do magic loop—a method I personally use all the time, especially for mittens, socks, sleeves, and even small hat crowns. I got a request on YouTube for a step-by-step blog post, and you know I’m always happy to give the people what they ask for!

In this post, I’ll show you how to do magic loop using KnitPicks Heatherly Sport yarn (affiliate link) and KnitPicks interchangeable circular needles (affiliate link). I’ll also walk you through written instructions using “working needle” and “holding needle” so both right- and left-handed knitters can follow along easily. Bonus: I’ve got a left-handed YouTube tutorial for my fellow southpaws, too.

Let’s dive into everything you need to know about how to do magic loop and why it might become your new favorite technique!

When to Use Magic Loop

Before we get into how to do magic loop, let’s talk about when you’d want to use it. This technique is especially helpful for knitting:

Socks (like my Judah Socks 👉 Free Pattern Here)
Mittens (I used this method for my Paul Mittens 👉 Free Pattern Here)
Sleeves (Works great for Baby Granite Sweater 👉 Free Pattern Here)
Baby hats and bonnets (I love this method for Evergreen Hat 👉 Free Pattern Here)
Anything small and circular (Even as small as Mini Snowman Stuffy 👉 Free Pattern Here)

It’s also a lifesaver when working projects that are mostly purled in the round. Magic loop helps prevent those pesky ladders that often show up between needles when using DPNs. And if you’ve ever wanted to knit two socks at a time, magic loop is your best friend. Seriously—once you get the hang of how to do magic loop, you’ll reach for it constantly.

If this looks funny it’s because I’m a lefty!

Tools I Used for This Tutorial

To show you exactly how to do magic loop, I used:

You can use any yarn and long circular needle, but I find this combo has just the right amount of flexibility and smoothness, especially when you’re just learning how to do magic loop.

Left-Handed Video Tutorial on YouTube

If you’re a left-handed knitter like I am, I made a full video just for you showing how to do magic loop. The tutorial breaks it down slowly with close-up shots of how I loop the cable, position my hands, and knit comfortably. You’ll see exactly how to avoid twisting and how to keep the loop tensioned properly. Check it out on my YouTube channel, and don’t forget to comment with what you’d like me to film next!

Can You Use Magic Loop Even If the Pattern Says DPN?

Yes! A lot of people don’t realize this, but even if your pattern calls for double-pointed needles, you can still use magic loop. Just place stitch markers to show where the needles would have been divided—like Needle 1, Needle 2, and Needle 3. This makes it easy to follow the instructions as written, even if you’re doing things your own way.

How to Do Magic Loop: Written Instructions (Both Hands)

Let’s get into the step-by-step directions. For this guide, I’m using the terms working needle (the one you’re actively knitting with) and holding needle (the one holding the stitches you’re about to work) so it makes sense whether you’re right- or left-handed.

Here’s how to do magic loop:

Cast on all your stitches onto the circular needle.
Slide all the stitches to the middle of the cable.
Find the halfway point of your stitches and pull a loop of the cable out at that spot to split the stitches in half.
Slide the front half of the stitches onto the needle tip that will be your holding needle.
Let the other half rest on the cable with the needle tip free—this is now your working needle.
Pull the working needle out so the stitches stay on the cable and you can start knitting with the tip.
Knit across the stitches on the holding needle using the working needle.
When you finish that half, rotate your work so the unworked stitches are now in front.
Slide the remaining stitches onto the new holding needle.
Pull the newly worked stitches down the cable to form a new loop.
Repeat the process: knit across with your working needle, rotate, loop the cable, and go again!

That’s the magic of it—literally looping the cable around your work so you can knit in the round without using double-pointed needles. Once you’ve done it a couple of times, the rhythm makes sense and your hands get into a flow.

Why I Love Magic Loop (and When I Use It)

Although magic loop isn’t my preferred method I LOVED IT when knitting the Paul Mittens. I just didn’t love the laddering I was getting with DPNs, and this technique completely solved that. It also made it easier to test different thumb placements and do small adjustments without losing track of stitches.

I also use magic loop every time I knit something that’s mostly purled in the round. It’s smoother, more consistent, and a lot more portable when I’m dragging my knitting bag all over town (or more realistically, from the kitchen to the homeschool table to the lounge chair on the patio).

Want to Try Magic Loop? Start with the Judah Socks!

If you’ve never tried magic loop before and you want a good beginner project, my Judah Socks are a great option. They’re knit in the round, and once you set your stitch markers for where DPNs would normally go, it’s easy to substitute magic loop. Whether you’re knitting socks for yourself, your kids, or your gift pile, this is a great way to give it a try.

Final Thoughts on How to Do Magic Loop

Learning how to do magic loop is one of those knitting skills that opens up a whole new world. No more juggling four needles. No more ladders. Just one long circular and a little looping magic.

If you’ve been nervous to try it, I hope this post helps you feel confident enough to give it a go! And if you already use it, let me know in the comments—what’s your favorite thing to knit using the magic loop method?

You can always find more tutorials like this one on my knitting tutorial page, and don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for new videos (especially if you’re a lefty!).

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through those links at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting my work!

The Knit in the Womb Blog