Another new series I'd like to get into. This will be a space for tool reviews, but also a place for general tips on use, care taking, and tips for DIY tools and equipment. In fact, it's that last thing I'd like to talk about today. Like many these days, I'm on a pretty tight budget, so the more I can squeeze out of each penny alloted to crafting, the better. There are many tools which are beautiful, well made works of art that I would love to buy for myself, but my landlord simply does not appreciate the beauty and necessity of a well made tool the same way I do, so alas, we cope. So, to start off this series, I'm going to start with a project that I feel is the simplest and cheapest to do, if not the most aesthetically appealing. If you're not a knitter, then unfortunately, this post is not for you and I'll see you tomorrow. However, I have plans for posts on tools, both DIY and commercially available, for knitting, crochet, sewing, and spinning, so next week, there could be something for you, so keep an eye on this space!
What Are Stitch Markers?
Before we get off and running, I thought it would be best to look at what stitch markers are used for and the different styles of marker on the market to give some background on the subject, so that we're on firm footing for discussing the DIY options and their best use cases.
Single Piece, Ring, or Continuous Loop Stitch Markers
This style of stitch marker has multiple names, but they all look very similar:
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| photo copyright to Clover USA for their product Jumbo Stitch Ring Markers |
These markers are designed to sit on your knitting needles in between stitches to mark off different sections of the work. They are commonly used to separate lace repeats, to make counting easier; separate sections of shaping, such as before and after raglan lines; placed every set number of stitches, for example every 10, every 25, etc. to make counting the total easier; or placed at one end of the work to designate which side is the "right" or "front side." The most common way to use it to designate the front is to place it on the right side of the work when viewed from the front with the mnemonic "right side? right side!" i.e. when the marker is on the right needle, you are viewing the "right" (as opposed to "wrong") side of the work.
They come in multiple sizes for a few reasons. The first is that if the ring is too small, it won't be able to fit onto the needle; conversely, if the marker is too big for the work, it can cause tension issues like laddering, slide over or past the stitches it's supposed to be between, and be more difficult to pass from needle to needle generally. However, they are typically not sized specifically for each needle size, because until the ring is quite a good deal larger than the needle, there's no harm in the ring being oversized, and in fact, being slightly larger than the stitches can help to slide them from needle to needle because they are typically not stretchy. So, while it's important to match the size of the ring to the size of your needles/project, there is a bit of flexibility in which size marker to use, particularly at the top or bottom of the size range, where personal preference plays a bit more of a role in sizing choice.
Sizing is usually either 2 sizes (regular and large, or regular and small, depending on brand) or 3 sizes (small, medium large). Small is usually sized to fit sock needles, approximately sizes US 0-4, unless the other size is large (or occasionally "jumbo"), in which case "small" is what others would call either "regular" or "medium." These markers are usually for the most commonly used needle sizes of US 4-9 or 10. Any markers that fit above a size 10 would be "large," "jumbo," or some other indication of larger size, depending on brand. Most markers top out somewhere around a US 13 needle, though there are sellers that sell limited amounts for needles that are larger, for that niche market.
These are the most commonly used marker for knitting, and unless specified when a pattern indicates to "place marker," it is usually this type they have in mind. Ring markers are not very aesthetically pleasing, however, which has spawned a variation of the type.
Hanging Stitch Markers
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| photo copyright to JAdamsCollection on Etsy |
In the pursuit of cuter notions, several small business owners have filled the gap in the market by providing aesthetically appealing stitch markers in a variety of styles. Love cactuses? There are hanging stitch markers with those. Prefer wood beads for a more natural feel? You can definitely find that. Donuts? Fairies? Skulls? Robots? I've seen all those and more. Whatever your style is, there is a very good chance someone on the web is selling plastic, enamel, beaded, or silicone versions of something you'd love to see dangling off your needles.
Most of these are attached to either a jump or split ring and function the same way as ring markers, though there are hinged or lobster claw versions which act like locking markers (described further below) or, rarely, you can sometimes find hanging markers that function like spiral markers (also described further below) but for logistical reasons, this is uncommon.
The main downside to this is that the dangling piece(s) can snag on your work, or otherwise be "in the way," so this is a style not suited to everyone or to every project. The potential for snags is higher on lace worked at a loose gauge, so if you're a fan of this style, you could just limit it's use to projects at a tighter tension and/or without heavy use of yarn overs, though ultimately it does come down to personal preference.
Locking Stitch Markers
These are a favorite of the bicraftual, because these markers work well in both knitting and crochet. Unlike ring markers, these do not sit on the needle nor do they follow the progress of the work as it develops. They are locked in place on a stitch or group of stitches, and remain there, marking that stitch or group until you remove it. In knitting, it's usually used to mark off increases or decreases to make them easier to count, the bounds of a short row, or placed every 10, 25, etc. rows/inches/centimeters to make counting them easier.
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| Photo copyright Clover USA; the packaging shows them in use on knitting. |
These are usually made of plastic, typically in bright and fun colors, though if you look hard enough (and are willing the shell out the higher cost) you can sometimes find them in all metal construction, similar to a safety pin. People who love these stitch markers tend to really love them, using them as ring markers as well, as needed, and they are definitely versatile in that respect. If you had to have only one style of marker in your notions bag, I can see why some people would choose these as their go-to.
Spiral or Split Ring Stitch Markers
The name might be deceiving. Many don't quite look like a spiral, and they are also not all that visually similar to the kind of split ring you'd put your keys on, however they do work similarly to a keyring for your stitches
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| Photo copyright to Clover USA |
These work identically to a locking stitch marker, but require a different motion from the hands to place them. Some people find locking stitch markers fiddly to use and find spiral stitch markers easier to use or easier on their hands, while other people find the opposite. If you've tried one and not liked them, they're usually cheap enough that grabbing a pack of the other type to see if they work better for you is usually worth it. The only case in which neither would be helpful is if you don't like the extra weight hanging from the project or are otherwise not in the habit or in need of marking elements in the work for your own convenience.
So, now we know what stitch markers are, what the types are, and how to use them, but how does that lead us to DIY? Those things look pretty industrially made. I can't make enamel pins or molded plastic in my home! Well, who said the DIY versions have to look the same?
Doing It Yourself
What led me to making my own stitch markers was that the downside to markers is that, due to their small size, they're pretty easy to lose. I don't have the budget to be replacing these items all the time, even at their relatively low cost, but I rely heavily on ring markers to make counting easier and separate repeats, so what was I to do? Well, necessity is the mother of invention, as they say, and she's had a few kids in this family.
Soda or Other Drink Tabs
My local schools are basically always collecting soda tabs for one initiative or another, so I've got a jar going where I collect them. One day I realized that soda tabs are basically two ring markers merged together. Would it be possible to snag a few from this year's collection jar and use them for knitting?It turns out yes. Here's one where I used them to mark the center spine of a shawl-based kerchief:
And here's one where I used it to separate the shaping I had going on in a sweater:
This is a raglan yoke before the division for the sleeves, so I've got the raglan lines and the sleeves themselves marked out, to make the joining under the arms a little easier when I get to it. I've even used soda tabs as round markers for socks worked on size US 0 needles, as well as lace worked on US 8s with lace weight. The thin profile of the tabs make up for the relatively wide diameter. The two photos above are worked on US 2s and US 4s, respectively, and you can see the tabs really snuggle up against the stitches and don't cause any laddering. For sizes larger than US 8, I use the tabs from condensed soup, or a similar can pull-tab, as the pull ring is usually larger. But what if you don't want ring markers? What if you need a locking or split ring marker instead?
Just a Piece of Yarn
I am not a fan of either locking or spiral stitch markers, because the added weight of the markers on my project is hard on my hands, but there are times I need them to mark various things, and in those situations, there's nothing better than Just a Piece of String. I'm not kidding, I do this all the time, and if you weave it in amongst several stitches, rather than just one, it's pretty secure. I most commonly need to measure length, and I'll mark off 1, 6, or 12 inches, depending on what I'm making. I'll take a scrap piece of yarn and weave it in like a lifeline, like so:
The arrows are pointing to areas where it's easier to see the scrap yarn in the photo. In real life, it's much easier to see. I have done similarly by weaving the marking yarn through a decrease/increase and a few of it's neighbors, when I'm tracking how many of them I've worked. There's probably loads of other situations in which this would be helpful, too, that I just don't know about because it's not part of my workflow.
A simple piece of string woven functions just as well as commercial markers, if kept to a good length (not so short that it easily works it's way out of the stitch, but also not so long that you struggle to keep it from tangling) and it can stay well embedded in the work even through a long project that is brought many places in a project bag, etc. This is also a great alternative when you're traveling because it does not show up on metal detectors or x rays, and security will never question why you have string coming out of your knitting project, though I have gotten comments asking why I have so much metal on my projects while using soda tabs for stitch markers.
What do you use for unconventional stitch markers? Or even conventional ones? Is there something I missed? I'm always interested in hearing new tips and tricks, so let me know your thoughts!
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