Using Stitch Markers

Here's a pin (talked about in a previous post) from a Vera Wang clothing tag, being used as a stitch marker on a piece of lace knitting that I have going.

You can see that the rounded end is threaded through both legs of one stitch. Often when I'm absorbed in lace knitting I find that I forget what row I started on so I place a marker at the start of a knitting session.

That way, when I get up for a cup of coffee or a stretch, after 20-30 minutes of knitting, I can see my progress very clearly.

It's always good to know that an hour of knitting produced two more inches, or more, of knitted fabric.

I use split ring markers, too. I like how easy it is to place one and, then, to remove it. Split ring markers are great for marking the starting stitch in a round of knitting on a circular needle.

You will find this language often in the directions for the knitting designs that I write:

Mark first stitch of round using split ring marker. 

Move the marker up every 3-5 rows so that it follows the knitting.

Happy knitting,

Wanda

A Red Sweater for A Holiday

There are two great red sweater holidays -- Christmas and The Fourth of July. Here's Hannah's red sweater from Fourth of July 2011. She was almost two and this Elizabeth Zimmermann design was the perfect little cardi for a summer coverup.

The pattern is Baby Sweater on Two Needles (month of February project) from "Knitters Almanac" by Elizabeth Zimmermann. I knit it back and forth on a circular needle using Brown Sheep's Lamb's Pride Superwash Worsted. The color is "Shane's Red." The lace pattern is gull lace. I found some sparkly red buttons.

Superwash wool is great for kids and for cardis. The sweater is worn over another garment, so there is no "wool worry," and the cardi can go into the washer and dry flat. Perfect.

Christmas is coming and this is a delightful project that can easily be finished by the holidays.

Brown Sheep Lambs Pride Superwash Worsted -- I used about a skein and a half.

Addi Turbo needles -- I used US #7, 24 inch circular to knit back and forth.

Knitter's Almanac on Amazon -- available in paperback.

More about this project on Wanda's Ravelry page