Several months ago, a dear friend showed me how to make a fantastic new stitch marker. I am abysmally bad at stopping my knitting to do any type of row counting. Thus, I am constantly squinting at my rows, measuring, and trying to figure out if I have knitted the prescribed number or not. Let's just say this isn't the best method for turning out a refined product. So, when Tracy showed me how to make these stitch markers, I was over the moon.
Exhibit A is the chain stitch marker. This was so easy to make! I bought a package of jewelry findings that were simply rings large enough for my larger knitting needles to easily slip in and out of. I used a simple pair of jewelry pliers and hooked the links together in a chain of 10. At the end of the chain, there should be some type of a marker, so I slipped on a button.
Now, when I am knitting, I slip my stitch marker on my needles through the first link. Each row I knit, I slip it to the next link. No more squinting to count rows! I just count my easy to see chain links.
But then, I started this shrug, and I only had a chain of 10, but I needed to count 80 rows. So, how to count how many sets of 10 I've done? I had an aha moment and slipped on a new stitch marker every time I finished a set of 10. When I have 8 stitch markers on, I know I've done my 80 rows. No more squinting!
I'm completely giddy over this new little knitting trick, and also because I smile EVERY SINGLE TIME I get to use my rainbow stitch markers from Ella Bleu Creations.
Do you have any great row counting tricks to share?
