Trenchwork

Before I made the trip stateside, I decided that I wanted to pick up a small gift for the members of my knitting group to bring back with me as a token of my appreciation for their steadfast presence. They’ve helped me translate patterns, figure out where I’ve gone wrong, fed hubby now and again when I was out of the country (thus making certain he wasn’t existing on pizza), carpooled to meetings, and commiserated on all the various and sundry ills of life.

I decided that that gift should be stitch markers. They were small, inexpensive, appropriate, and I’d just stumbled over something other than usual ugly circles. Since those ugly plastic circles are the only ones I had, all I’d seen the other gals use and, as far as I’ve seen, the only ones available in the stores around here, I decided we needed a change.

Not long ago, on a day when I needed a break from writing, I stumbled over a knitting blog which mentioned different types of stitch markers—and she had pictures. I was entranced. While you might not believe it by the condition of the house, I love beauty and order. Life—and beauty—is in the details, I think, and these little markers were perfect. While the rest of life may turn ugly and chaotic at depressingly regular intervals, tiny little capsules of perfection and beauty like these tend to serve as reminders that even during the worst of times, there are instances of beauty. Perhaps equally importantly, it’s possible to carry that glimpse of beauty with you and make it serve a larger function as you create something else of beauty. And you know, sometimes that little reminder is a marvelous nudge forward when you’ve just had to frog back the last fifteen rows of a mohair lace pattern.

Decision made, I put feet to it and ordered the markers from Karen at Beadmarkers. I can’t tell you how pleased I was with the results. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen an independent online vendor operate so professionally, with such a “can do” attitude and general friendly helpfulness. When the markers came in, I couldn’t wait to open the box. I opened the first bag and was so excited that I had to stop then and there, grab a space on the floor, and spread them out like a kid with her Halloween score of candy. Family and friends who happened to be in the area were drawn into show-and-tell; you know a knitting gadget is stellar when non-knitters are impressed.

In other words, if you’re looking for simply gorgeous stitch markers, let me encourage you to check out Karen’s work. And no—she’s not paying me for advertisement. I just believe in sharing news about someone who is doing outstanding work. Her prices are excellent and she guarantees her work.
Karen is operating at two different sites:

www.picturetrail.com/beadmarkers and www.beadmarkers.etsy.com

Just to give you a taste, here’s a sampling. Note that it’s not the best photo, and absolutely does NOT do credit to the markers. Karen’s sites will give you much better images. In order to help you understand the size, the safety pin is oversized, or about the size of a diaper pin.

As for me? Well, I have my eye on a set of row counters . . .