DIY Stitch Markers & Yarnapalooza

With the inaugural Stitches Texas expo happening this weekend, I was so excited for my first stitch marker swap! Basically, you make a bunch of stitch markers, take them with you to the expo, pick up a swap button to identify yourself to other swappers, and swap while you shop! But first, you've gotta make your markers!

Gather your materials:
Decorative beads (I chose the silver ones on the left and the pearls)
Crimp beads (tiny ones on the right)
Flat nose pliers
Wire cutters
Beading wire or fishing line
Optional Ingredient for Shameless Self-Promotion:
Your website printed roughly 100 times (5 per line, 20 lines) onto a standard sheet of 8.5x11 paper (so it can be easily torn off later)

Carefully cut out your promotional tags, and use a push pin to punch a hole in one end. Next, cut a length of fishing line about 4 inches long and feed it through your promotional tag, then a crimp bead, one or more decorative beads, then another crimp bead.

Then thread the other end of the fishing line through the beads in the same order. Finally, use the flat nose pliers to squish both crimp beads, and snip the ends with your wire cutters as close as possible to the bottom crimp bead.

All done!

After a few hours of market-wandering, I came out of that convention center with about 50 different stitch markers from other attendees and vendors! Awesome, right?

In related news, YARN! Prior to Stitches Texas, there was the DFW Yarn Crawl - a tour of 15 local[-ish] yarn shops - in late August. And before that, I just had to check out the local yarn store Loops while visiting family in Tulsa in late August. Clearly, I've been in a green/blue/purple/grey mood lately, for the most part.

Left (top to bottom): Brazen Stitchery Duet Sock "I Am Groot," Sun Valley Fiber MCN Fingering "Cheeky," Theodora's Pearls Palladio "Easter Dress," Magpie Swanky Sock "Ultra," Black Bunny Fibers Superwash Merino Classic "It Had To Be You," Lazy Cat Yarn Endurance "Police Box"
Center: Done Roving Yarns Frolicking Feet DK Gradients "Pot o' Gold"
Right (top to bottom): FiberLady.com Vivacot "Black," Melodye Farms Alpaca/Bamboo "Charcoal with aqua and tan flecks," Lazy Cat Yarn Endurance "Don't Blink," Wonderland Yarn Cheshire Cat "Tea Tray," Loops Alpaca/Silk "Excalibur," Wandering Cat Yarn Ally Cat Sock "Come Sail Away," Twisted Owl Fiber Studios Super Sock 4-Ply "Blue-green"