magic loop vs chain 4 loop
There is a big divide in the crochet world with a massive fence in the middle. You are either in the magic loop camp or the chain 4 loop camp and then there are some, like me, who prefer to sit on that massive fence in the middle and dip their toes into either side whenever the fancy takes us.
For those who are wondering what the nandos I'm talking about; when you crochet in the round (or the square) you begin by making a loop or hole that you crochet your first round stitches in to. You can do this one of two ways; the magic loop, which is in fact quite magical, or a traditional chain 4 and join with a slip stitch to form a loop.
The magic loop is all powerful, it's the holy grail of crocheting because it really is quite nifty and it provides you with a perfectly sealed centre (see below). I won't explain how to do it using words because that would be just crazy and I'd never make sense, so if you don't know how to make or use the magic loop then watch this video and all will be revealed.
Hot diggerty, I wish I'd started doing video tutorials ages ago, it makes explaining stuff so much easier, especially when you have a tendency to waffle like me. Now I get to waffle and witter my way through videos and nobody cares, huzzah!
I do like the magic loop, even though it's a slippery little sucker, but I only use it when I'm making something solid, like a toy or a stuffed thingy. And seeing as I very rarely make stuffed thingies, it follows that I very rarely use a magic loop.
The chain 4 loop is a different matter. I love that baby, she is the original and the best and she works every time (apart from when I first started crocheting and I consistently put my hook in the wrong hole). Plus she is a beaut. I think the reason I like her so much is that I make so many granny squares or granny related things and I think that a granny anything needs to have a pretty central hole as a focal point.
It's interesting when you chat with other crocheters, you can really notice what side of the fence they are on, people feel strongly about this shiz. For reals. So I did a video comparing the two (I know, on fire, right?) and I quite like how it came out so feel free to watch this one too, but obviously not if you don't like the sound of my voice. And happy crocheting kids. Plus subscribe to me on YouTube, I am lonely.
