Fishy tails

Ii is very exciting to know that my blog is not only read by people interested in all things knitty but also by people who just like to read stuff.  Of course I treasure each lovely comment made by knitting people and non-knitting people alike and perhaps I shouldn't be surprised as my intention was always to ramble on about my love of the craft and all things connected (thus cardigans for elderly teddy bears).  It is just that although I certainly did not intend this blog to be particularly instructional - I couldn't possibly lecture you, dear readers, on correct technique for this and that stitch or exhibit photographs of perfectly executed pieces of woolly work - but I did think most of you would be knitters. 

So bearing in mind that some of you reading may not know what the fishy thing above is, a quick paragraph of explanation.  Knitters may at this stage scroll down to the next picture.  The little green object with a leafy tail is a stitch marker.  When needing to mark a particular position on a row, say 40 stitches in, you count carefully as you knit and slip the ring over the needle at 40 and keep knitting.  This saves having to count stitches on every row (or round if knitting socks or something else in the round).  The markers need a bit of weight in it to hang down out of the way otherwise, very annoyingly, they just get in the way.

There are lots of commercially available stitch markers but a lot are plastic.  Part of the delight of knitting for me is sensual, using wool that feels and is luxurious, cashmere, alpaca or good quality merino so I don't really want stitch markers to spoil the joy.  There are beautiful silver and glass bead markers available but they are very expensive.  So this week I paid a visit to Beadworks in Covent Garden and bought glass beads, loops and wires to make my own.    

Actually to be totally truthful I was hoping DD2 (graduate in jewelry design and now an art teacher) would make them for me, but she failed to swing by my house in response to what I thought was an enticing comment posted by me on her face book wall.  So my impatience got the better of me and sent me off to her work bench in the garage in search of the special pliers

I made eight in all, in four different colours so that I can use them in matching pairs.  When I posted this photograph last night on Blipfoto there were several fishy related comments and some compliments.

But the real proof is in whether they actually work!  Here is my first ever sock.

Real sock experts (and I know there are many of you out there) will spot that I have already turned the heel of this sock and really don't need stitch markers any more as I motor on down to the toe but I just had to try the little fishes out for one round.  And I am proud to say they do work (with a little more tweaking to make sure there are no parts of the ring or wires that would catch on the yarn).

Happy weekend,

Catherine