What stitch markers do and why you need them
Stitch markers are small rings, clips, or loops that you place on your needles to mark specific stitches or pattern sections. They sit between stitches on your working needle and move with your knitting as you work. Their job is to help you keep track of where you are in a pattern, count stitches accurately, and spot mistakes before they become big problems.
Think of them as bookmarks for your needles. Without them, you have to count stitches manually every few rows, which is tedious and error-prone. With them, you can glance at your work and know exactly where a pattern repeat starts, where increases or decreases should happen, or which stitch is the center of a motif.
Stitch markers are especially useful when you are working colorwork, lace, cables, or any pattern with repeating sections. They are also invaluable when you are knitting something wide, like a blanket or shawl, because counting across 200 stitches by hand is a recipe for losing your place.
Key Takeaways
- Place stitch markers between stitches on your needle to mark pattern repeats, the start of a round, or important stitch positions.
- Slip markers from the left needle to the right needle as you work; they move with your stitches and never get knitted into the fabric.
- Use different colored or shaped markers to denote different sections of a pattern, such as one color for repeats and another for the center stitch.
- Remove markers as you bind off or when a pattern section ends, or leave them in place if they help you track your progress.
- If you run out of markers, you can use scrap yarn, safety pins, or even a paperclip looped through a stitch as a temporary marker.
Placing markers at the start of your project
Before you cast on, decide where you want markers to go. If you are working a pattern with repeats, place a marker at the start of each repeat. If you are knitting in the round, place a marker at the beginning of the round so you know where each round starts and ends.
Cast on your stitches as normal. Once your first row is on the needle, slip your first marker onto the needle between two stitches. The marker should sit on the needle itself, not through a stitch. If you are marking the start of a round in circular knitting, place the marker right after your last cast-on stitch, before you join to begin the round.
Space additional markers evenly across the row or round. For example, if you are knitting a sweater with a 120-stitch cast-on and your pattern repeats every 10 stitches, place a marker every 10 stitches. This way, if you drop a stitch or lose count, you know the problem is between two markers, not across the entire row.
Moving markers as you knit
As you work each row or round, you will encounter markers on your left needle. When you reach a marker, straightforward slip it from the left needle to the right needle without knitting it. The marker stays on the needle and moves along with your stitches. Never knit a marker into your fabric—it should always sit between stitches on the needle.
Slipping a marker takes one second and requires no special technique. Just push it off the left needle onto the right needle as if it were a stitch you were passing over. If your marker is tight or hard to move, you can gently wiggle it side to side to loosen it before slipping it.
If you are working with multiple colors of markers, pay attention to which marker you are slipping. Some knitters use one color to mark pattern repeats and a different color to mark the center stitch of a motif. Slipping the wrong marker to the wrong needle is a common mistake, so take a moment to look at the marker before you move it.
Using markers to track pattern repeats
Stitch markers are most useful when you are working a repeating pattern. Place a marker at the start of each repeat, and as you work, the markers will show you exactly where one repeat ends and the next begins. This is especially helpful in lace or colorwork, where a single missed stitch can throw off the entire pattern.
If your pattern has a center stitch or a center panel, use a different colored marker to mark that stitch. For example, in a cable sweater, you might use a red marker for the center cable and blue markers for the start of each 8-stitch repeat on either side. This way, you can see at a glance whether your cables are centered and whether your repeats are even.
When you finish a row or round, count the stitches between markers to make sure you have not accidentally increased or decreased. If the count is wrong, you know the problem is between those two markers, which narrows down where to look for the mistake.
Markers in circular knitting and in the round
In circular knitting, place a marker right after your last cast-on stitch, before you join the round. This marker marks the start of each round. As you work, you will slip this marker every time you complete a round, and it will tell you when you have finished one round and are starting the next.
If your pattern has multiple sections—for example, a sweater with a ribbed cuff, stockinette body, and a yoke—use a different colored marker for each section. Place the first marker at the start of the round, a second marker at the start of the first pattern section, a third at the start of the second section, and so on. This way, you can see which section you are in without counting rows.
Some circular patterns also call for markers at specific points around the needle—for example, at the underarm of a sweater or at the sides of a hat. Place these markers between the stitches they mark, and slip them as you work. They will help you keep track of increases and decreases at those points.
Removing markers and when to take them out
You can remove markers whenever a pattern section ends or when you no longer need them. For example, if you are knitting a sweater with a ribbed cuff and a stockinette body, you can remove the cuff markers once you have finished the ribbing and moved on to the body. If you are working a lace panel that ends partway through a sweater, remove those markers once the panel is complete.
Some knitters leave markers in place throughout the entire project, even after they are no longer needed, because they do not interfere with the knitting and can be useful if you need to rip back and redo a section. Other knitters remove markers as soon as they are no longer necessary to keep the needle from getting crowded.
When you bind off, remove all remaining markers before you cut the yarn. If you leave a marker in place while binding off, it can get tangled in the bind-off edge or accidentally knitted into the final row.
Types of stitch markers and what to use if you do not have any
Commercial stitch markers come in many styles: straightforward metal or plastic rings, locking stitch markers that clip onto the needle, split-ring markers that open and close, and decorative markers shaped like animals or beads. All of them work the same way—they sit on the needle between stitches and move with your knitting.
If you do not have stitch markers on hand, you can make temporary ones from scrap yarn. Cut a 4-inch length of yarn in a contrasting color, tie it into a loop, and use it the same way you would use a ring marker. You can also use a safety pin looped through a stitch, a paperclip bent into a loop, or even a small piece of tape stuck to the needle (though tape can leave residue).
Some knitters use bobby pins or hair clips as markers, especially for larger needles. The advantage is that they are inexpensive and straightforward to find. The disadvantage is that they can slip off the needle if you are not careful. Locking stitch markers are more find because they clip onto the needle and cannot fall off, but they are also bulkier and can be harder to move on very small needles.
Troubleshooting common marker mistakes
If you accidentally knit a marker into your fabric, do not panic. Carefully unravel back to the marker, remove it, and knit the stitch again. This is easier to fix than trying to remove a marker from the middle of a finished section.
If a marker falls off the needle and you do not notice right away, you may lose track of where you are in the pattern. To prevent this, check your markers at the start of each row or round. If a marker is missing, look at the stitches around where it should be and count to figure out where you are.
If you have too many markers on the needle and they are getting in the way, remove the ones you no longer need. Markers should help you knit, not slow you down. If you find yourself constantly moving markers out of the way, you probably have too many.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use stitch markers?
No, but they make knitting much easier, especially for complex patterns. Many experienced knitters use them for anything more complicated than stockinette stitch. If you are new to knitting, markers can help you catch mistakes early and build confidence in your work.
Can I use the same marker for multiple purposes?
Yes, as long as you keep track of what each marker means. For example, you can use one marker to denote the start of a round and another to mark a pattern repeat. Just make sure you know which is which so you do not slip the wrong marker at the wrong time.
What happens if I slip a marker in the wrong direction?
Nothing—a marker works the same way no matter which direction it faces. The marker itself has no orientation, so you cannot slip it wrong. What matters is that you slip it from the left needle to the right needle as you work.
Can I move a marker to a different spot if I made a mistake placing it?
Yes. If you placed a marker in the wrong spot, straightforward slip it off the needle, move it to the correct location, and slip it back on. This is much faster than unraveling rows to fix the placement.
Should I remove markers before washing my finished project?
Yes, remove all markers before you wash or block your knitting. Markers can get tangled in the yarn or leave marks on the fabric if they are left in place during washing. Once your project is dry, you can add markers back if you need them for seaming or other finishing work.