Stitch marker question

cara · December 30, 2006, 8:16pm

Hi all,

I think that this question is so dumb, and the answer is probably staring me in the face…but I’m not getting it! :??

I’m starting my first pair of socks and right at the beginning it says to divide my cast on stitches to 4 needles and place a stitch marker between the 4th and 1st needle to mark the beginning of my round. Well, on a circular needle (for all the hats I’ve done) it is easy, but when I put it on the end of a dpn, it obviously just rolls right off. So I figured I would just stager my stitches by 1 stitch all the way around thus holding the marker on 1 stitch into the round…but that doesn 't work for the socks because of the heel shaping and where that lands on the 4 needles…tHey have to be divided evenly from the first stitch!

gosh I feel like I am complicating the simplest thing!!!
:doh:

Also, this sock pattern says to work the ankle however I want for the desired length (how high I want the socks)… I was thinking that K2 P2 rib would be a great way to do my first pair… then maybe I’ll get brave and do some cables or lace for my second? hehe.

brendajos · December 30, 2006, 8:28pm

honestly i rarely use markers on DPNs unless they are going to be in the middle of the needle. To mark the beginning of the round I just use the tail.

k2p2 is a great way to go!

five_six · December 31, 2006, 12:39am

yep the tail is the way to go - that’s all i ever use, on straights, circs, whatever… also use it to tell me which is my right side.

sara_jayne · December 31, 2006, 6:44am

Cara -

I do use stitch markers when I use DPNs. What I do is just knit one stitch off the first needle and then place the marker and then continue knitting down the needle. Sure, it isn’t on the first stitch, but now I know which needle is the first needle. When knitting socks the tail can get lost (for me!) so this helps me greatly!

mshelton · December 31, 2006, 9:27pm

I also put the marker between the first and second stitch. But sometimes I use a minature clothesline paper clip or a binder paper clip to just mark needle one ( and if I’m counting rows)- I have to move the paper clip so I remember to change my row counter.