I found this little tip in "Knitting Tips & Trade Secrets". You can make dozens of stitch markers just using snippets of a plastic straw. I can use a whole bunch of them when I cast on for The Daugava so that I don't have to keep recounting. The needles I will be using are only 3mm so the small straw should fit just fine. For larger needles a person could use a milkshake straw.
5 comments:
Wow, how tricky...I'll have to try that!
Now that is a good idea. I must remember to try that. Thanks for sharing the tip.
That is a great idea using the straws.I use the pop tabs off of cans and I have done this for years.All you have to do is break them off the can of pop and use.They fit on most needle except maybe the gigantic ones.For those I just use a piece of yarn in a different colour tied in a loop. Enjoy your blog .Karen Ont.Canada
Ok, I tried this but each time I cut the straw it flew off into space... also had lots of trouble keeping the markers an even size... any ideas for these two problems... I guess I could put the end of the straw into a plastic bag to cut it, but don't think I'd be able to see the end to cut... Jodi <><
Yes Jodi, they do tend to ping off into space when you are cutting them. I found it helpful to confine the space in which they could fly. If you hold the scissors and straw low in a high wall container (box, sink, deep bowl) you don't lose them.
Consistancy of size is a little trickier. I found I had the best results using the scissors on the LEFT end of the straw rather than the right (which comes more naturally for a right handed person using traditional "right handed" scissors). This way the cutting edge of the scissors were closer to the cut end of the straw so I could get thinner, more consistent pieces.
In the end, it doesn't really matter if you lose a few or make a few that are a little thicker than you would like as they are SO inexpensive to make that you can afford to "waste" a few. I can get DOZENS from one little staw and they can be purchased at 100 straws for one dollar if you look around at bargin stores.
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