Jane's Hooked on Crochet

A place to write about my crocheting, things I'm learning, book reviews, ideas, projects in mind, works in progress, patterns, photos, fair entries, whatever...

Friday, February 05, 2010

Crochet Stitch Markers

Crocheters and Knitters need different kinds of stitch markers. Why? Well, in knitting the stitch marker goes onto the needle between stitches, not on the yarn. As you work a row or round, the stitch marker is left in place and slipped from one needle to the next. In crochet, the stitch marker is clipped onto the yarn at a specific stitch or space. The crocheter actually has to unclip the stitch marker, move it to the next row or round, and clip it on again. Knitting stitch markers can be closed "round rings", while crochet stitch markers need an opening, or a clip of some kind.
Some crocheters go with the "it's cheap, it's handy" idea and use scraps of a contrasting color yarn, paper clips, bobby pins or safety pins. These are all nice for the cheap and handy reasons. Over the decades, I've found things that I don't like about all of them. I'm willing to pay a few dollars for what I know is a very necessary tool.
Most yarn stores carry knitting stitch markers and most will carry the "Clover stitch markers". These look like safety pins, and are made of colorful plastic. I like them because they're easy to use, and usually contrast nicely with the colors of yarn that I'm using! If you drop one of these cheap plastic stitch markers and it escapes under the couch cushion or the Lazy-Boy, just grab another and go on with your project! You can retrieve it later.
I also have some lovely bead stitch markers, hand made by a fellow CGOA Chapter member. These look elegant on a project in the works. But I usually will not use them on a project that I may carry to the Shawl Ministry get-togethers or the Tuesday evening Crochet in Public. If I lost one, I'd be more than sad.

If you'd like to have some lovely beaded crochet stitch markers, check "these".

2 Comments:

At Tuesday, February 23, 2010, Blogger Unknown said...

Jane, these are very pretty. Just curious as to whether they "snag" the yarn during the crochet process?

 
At Wednesday, February 24, 2010, Blogger Jane's Hooked on Crochet said...

No, the lobster clasps clip into a stitch without any damage. Used with a work-in-progress I find no problem. I don't think that I'd fold or roll the project and stow it somewhere long term because the long "tassel" of beads could get tangled.

 

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