I heart online tutorials.

So I fell in love with this "Bullseye" sweater from Stitch Diva Studios at the TNNA Show in San Diego.

Then I decided, hmmm...maybe I should make the sleeveless version instead (no sleeves = better chance of actually finishing it):


So then I sat down last night to cast on and...oops, no double points in size 6 in the house - but I did have a 32" #6 circular. So that meant I would need to learn the Magic Loop method to get started. No problem, I've been meaning to learn for years. But then, what's this? An "adjustable ring cast-on"? Huh? And M1L? M1R? I thought there was only one kind of Make 1! Oh, and what are lifted increases again? I haven't done those in ages. OMG! WTF?! %#$&*!!!!

Breathe...deeply...get a glass of wine...breathe again...and then the answer comes to me. Online knitting tutorials! It's the yarn girl's 21st century answer to Cliff Notes. I just googled "magic loop knitting video" and up popped a handy, step-by-step guide. Then I googled the cast-on thingie, and here came a video straight from the Stitch Diva herself. This one was even better, because I got a taste of both her genius and her edgy New Yorker "deal with it" attitude, which is part of what made me fall for the design in the first place.

Thirty minutes later, et voila:

Sure, it looks like a remedial granny circle. But to me, it's the beginning of greatness. And love, love, love the Tilli Tomas Plie silk.

Handy tip when googling: Just make sure to add the word "knit" or "knitting" to your search. I hate to think what might pop up if you googled "In the round video." Or worse yet, "fingering video."

Just sayin'.

- Shelley
shop online at loopsknitting.com