What's So "Magic" About Magic Loop?

Magic Loop.  For a long time I've avoided it.  Who knows why - perhaps it was my strong double pointed needle pride (I mean, come on - it's impressive to knit with FIVE needles at once!), perhaps it was that I couldn't quite visualize how it was supposed to work, or (most likely) perhaps it was just that I didn't have the proper needles.

So when the time came to buy a circular needle with a cable long enough for my up and coming sweater, I decided to give it a try.  I'm currently waiting on the yarn for the sweater and had to Knit Something Right Now to avoid obsessing over the sweater. My mom requested a pair of Fetching, and as it is my favorite instant gratification knit, I decided to use it as an opportunity to learn Magic Loop.  So, with scraps of Cascade 220 from my brother's hat, and my shiny new Addi Natura Size 8/5mm 40 inch circular, I went to work.  (Of course, I ran out of yarn pre-thumb on the second mit, so now I need to get more.)

At first, it was a little fiddly, what with the cables smacking me in the arms, but once I got the hang of it, I can see why people like it.  There aren't as many opportunities for ladders, you only have to adjust your hands and needles once per round instead of thrice, and it does look pretty nifty.

I think in the future, I'll probably alternate between DPNs and magic loop.  It's good to have an ever-expanding arsenal of technique.  And I've already ordered sock sized circulars with loooooong cables because next I'm going to try 2 socks at once on one circular in an attempt to avoid the dreaded Second Sock Syndrome.