linky do's!

Monday, May 3, 2010

tools of the trade - knitcroblo "...and one to grow on..."

i have another craft addiction other than knitting.  it's stitch markers.  i love making them.

stitch markers are my favorite knitting tool.  i love collecting them.  i have the cheap "safety pin" style of clip that is found in most craft and yarn shops.  i have split ring ones.  little rubber ones in bright green and orange and purple.  i have heart shaped ones that came from japan (i think).

i love making my own stitch markers.  i love going to bead shops, finding beautiful and interesting beads, taking them home and allowing them to inspire me.  i love czech glass beads that glimmer with fire, swarovski crystals that reflect the light, and glowing pewter beads with heft.  i mix and match colors, finding patterns that delight me.

most of my markers are made from silver hardware - pins, jump rings, clasps.  the majority of my markers are made with jump rings;  markers that go directly onto my needle.  a few markers have lobster clasps that i use to mark the right side of my work or increases or decreases in my pattern.  i have heavy stitch markers made with pewter or silver beads, and tiny markers consisting of a single tiny bead.  i have markers that spell out my son's name, and markers that are lettered for repeats (i "borrowed" that idea from cat bordhi).

i think of my markers as jewelry for my knitting.  my knitting never feels dressed up without a pretty stitch marker dangling from it.  one of my favorite markers is a single bright orange bead.  another is a bone skull.  i often use a small chunk of pyrite as a marker for socks.  sometimes i coordinate the marker to color of the yarn,  more often i use a marker that will "pop" against the fabric.  it depends on my mood.

some of my favorite markers have been gifted to me in swaps.  i have a set of snoopy markers made of clay.  i love those markers.  i have another set of snoopy markers made of glass.  it warms me that my swap buddy either created or bought those markers for me, knowing that i would love them.  every time i use them i remember sparkles and gypsyhick, the girls who gave me the markers, fondly.

my stitch markers reflect who i am.  i am soft, i am hard, i am small, i am big, i sparkle and i shine.  i am a knitter.

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