DIY Knitting Accessories: Yet another stitch marker post :)

Wire stitch markers this time!

Inspired by the winter stitch marker swap for Recycled/Repurposed Items, I felt inclined to give wrapped wire stitch markers a try.  I'd seen this post on wikiHow on how to make stitch markers (non-beaded) out of wire which is available on spools, with a little side note on how paper clips can also be used.  In an end of the year, office supply special, I found a box of brightly colored paper clips, so felt inclined to give it a try.  Personally, the paperclips are better than the wire spools, as they are very cheap, brightly colored (so therefore much more fun) and you don't have to deal with the hassle of cutting them.

So, here you go, my own little tutorial version.  I apologize for blurriness of some of the pictures - it's very hard getting my basic little point-and-click to focus that zoomed in, when the other hand is holding whatever I'm trying to get a picture of.  :\

Supplies...  Very simple.  About as simple as it gets :)

• Paperclips (obviously the metal kind)
• Pliers
• Large knitting needle

Directions

1.  Unfold paperclips. 

2.  As you can see above, just unfolding the paperclips does not yield a straight piece of wire, but a mostly straight one.  I took my pliers and GENTLY used them to straighten out the folds a little more.  I wanted the wire as straight as possible.

3.  Gripping the very end of the former paperclip in the pliers, wrap the wire closely around the tip of the pliers.  You are creating a curly-cue at the end of the wire.

4.  Repeat on the other end of the wire.  Try and make these curls as tight as possible.  The tighter they are, the less space there is for your yarn to snag on them.

5.  Using a large, solid knitting needle, wrap the paper clip around the needle to create the main 'loop' of the stitch marker.  Bring the curls together as you wrap it around the needle.  You want them relatively close, as this will help reduce snagging on the yarn when you use them. Try and center this fold between the curls at the ends of the paperclip - just helps to balance the marker as it hangs on the needle.  You want to use a needle several sizes larger than the size you want the markers to fit on (here, I used a US 15 needle, as I wanted my markers to fit on US 7-11ish needles)

6.  In all the wrapping and folding, the stitch marker may not lay flat.  If this bothers you (as it does me), take the pliers and GENTLY press the curls of the marker flat. 

7.  Tada!  Step back and marvel!  The needle the markers are hanging on in the picture below is a US 11.  As you can see, there is a nice amount of movement for the stitch markers on this size needle.  And remember, these are paperclips, so it's easy to bend them to adjust sizing as needed.