Do you use stitch markers??

I do occasionally and I’ve just started a sock that needs one. I find the usual beaded dangley ones rather irritating. 😕

These are the thingies I mean..

OK. They were free ones from a magazine and “proper” ones might be nicer but I still would end up with them dangling the wrong side of the work, getting knit into a stitch (that’s a swine to undo on fine work!) and the join in the metal ring would catch my yarn. I’m also prone to loosing them. I’d be miffed if I lost one I’d paid £££ for.
My solution?

Being a bit of a DIYer, I’m often in DIY stores. I found these in B&Q…

They are round. Come in sizes from tiny enough for socks up to huge. There are no joins to catch the yarn. They are soft and squidy so easy to hold if you have lots on a needle. They are so cheap you don’t worry if you loose one. 😀

“What are they? Where can I get some?” I hear you cry…..

They are washers from the plumbing department!!! 😯 The box of 8 smallish ones is 88p! How great is that for something that’s perfect for the job?

One downside though – I can only find them in black…

Here’s an action shot of one on the sock 😛

The sock is in Fleece Artists Merino 2/6 and I’m being very dull and using the free pattern on the skein. This is my”I’m too tired to do any complicated knitting” sock….

Don’t you love those colours though? I’ve not used this yarn before – it is beautiful but I have reservations about how it will stand up to my washing machine. I really have trouble with the idea of hand washing socks…

Nice Huh?

I’ll be contacting B&Q and warning them that an army of knitters will be descending on the plumbing department….

…..maybe they have other goodies I can knit with……. 😀