Looking at the plethora of stitch markers available, you may wonder what all the hype is about and why are there so many kinds.
So why do we use them? They are there to help you while you’re crafting. They can mark the right side of the project, mark the beginning of a round. Put them in to show you where the stitch repeats are, where you need to increase or decrease. So many more uses too.
There may be a lot of different ones but they all boil down to three options:
- ones that open and close
- ones that don’t open
- ones that don’t close
Ones that open and close:
Locking, safety and clipping stitch markers are all ones that open and close. They are the most versatile. You can hang them on the needle, on your material, hold your stitch when you stop crocheting.
Ones that don’t open:
Rings, loops, and yarn ball stitch markers are ones that can’t be opened. They hang great on knitting needles and slide easily as you work through the pattern.
Ones that don’t close:
Split ring stitch markers should be in every crocheter’s notions bag. They are perfect for slipping in and out of your project while you work. They are great for marking a join/beginning of the round.
Side note about progress keepers:
These often look like stitch markers but their tiny little clasps don’t fit on very many knitting needles. They’re great for marking your progress as you craft. You can also use them to help differentiate your beginning of round marker from all your other ones. (You can also use your stitch markers that open and close for these purposes.)
Using stitch markers with a pattern:
While you’re reading through your patterns you’ll see in the materials where they list all the things you need. One of these things may be stitch markers. And because the pattern is using them, you’ll come across some of these short forms as you go:
- BOR – beginning of round marker
- PM – place marker
- SM – slip marker
- RM – remove marker
Remember: You can always add in more stitch markers as you feel you need them. One of my customers referred to them as her “training wheels”. You should add them in where it’s going to help you work through your pattern more easily.
