Gettin’ It Pegged…Loom Knitter’s Clique

Sometime back, during one of my college classes, we were discussing the need to have something other than post-it notes to keep our places while knitting with charts.  I’ve been mulling this little problem over in my mind ever since, constantly keeping an eye out for “just that perfect thing” that would be able to magically transform into a doable row marker.

Well, the other day I found it!  Michaels now has small metal strips in their wood crafting aisle.  Coupled together with magnet strips, this turned out to be just the ticket!  Here’s how I made mine:

Gather:

• your favorite paper bits and bobs leftover from scrapbooking/card making.
• your favorite adhesive…needs to be strong!
• pencil, scissors
• ink pad to coordinate with paper, or antiquing brown
• you might need some fine sandpaper
• and these items below…2 metal strips & sticky backed magnets

Step one: Trace around the metal strips with your pencil onto your decorative paper.  Cut out.

Step two:  Apply adhesive to the entire back of your cut out paper, remove the adhesive circle tabs from the back of the metal strips, and press the strips, back side down, onto the paper.  The back sides of these are kind of rough, so I preferred to have them covered up.

Step three:  Carefully press the sticky edges of the paper down onto the edges of the metal strips with your thumbs.  If this isn’t working to keep them down, then you might want to use your sandpaper, and sand the edges of your strips, so that the extra paper overlapping them is whisked away.

Step four:  On the back of the strip you intend for the back of your pattern, firmly apply the sticky side of two magnet strips end to end. 

Step five:  I love objects that are thoroughly antiqued.  One of the easiest ways to do this is to add a little ink to the edges of your projects.  It just seems to make them more interesting and dimensional.  See the right hand photo below for how to do this easily.

Step six:  Embellish!  I added a sweet little old fashioned wooden bunny, and some ribbon to mine.  I thought that was perfect, since I’m Angora!  ;)   But anything you like will do the trick…or you can leave it just your pretty paper.  What ever you decide, this is the part that really makes this your marker…all your personal touches!

Now you’re ready for your most difficult to follow knitting chart!  This won’t slip and slide, and you won’t have to worry about your sticky notes running out of stickum.  It’s also great as a place marker in your favorite pattern book while travelling, etc. 

Hope you’ve enjoyed this little tutorial…happy chart reading!

Bethany~