Stitch markers are the simplest fix for losing your place in crochet. Drop one in the first stitch of each round, or at the start of every repeat, and you turn a long count into small, checkable sections. Pair a marker with a counter and you have both halves covered: the marker holds your spot, the counter holds the number.
What a stitch marker actually does
A stitch marker is just a small clip you slot into a stitch to mark a spot: the start of a round, a repeat, an increase, or a place you need to come back to. It does not change your crochet. It gives you a reference point, so you can check your work instead of recounting from the beginning.
How to use a stitch marker in the round
Crochet worked in a spiral has no obvious seam, which is exactly why rounds are so easy to lose.
- At the start of round 1, place a marker in the first stitch.
- Crochet around until you reach the stitch just before the marker.
- Take the marker out, work the first stitch of the new round, and put the marker back into it.
- Repeat every round. The marker always sits in the current round's first stitch.
Using markers to track repeats on flat work
On flat rows, markers shine for repeats and shaping. Drop a marker at the end of each pattern repeat, or every ten stitches, so a miscount only costs you one small section to recheck, not the whole row. Move them or add more as the pattern tells you.
What to use as a stitch marker
Use removable or locking markers for crochet, not the solid rings made for knitting, which cannot come off a crochet stitch. No markers to hand? A loop of contrasting yarn, a safety pin, a paperclip or a bobby pin all do the job.
Markers plus Knittle: never lose the count
A marker keeps your physical place; Knittle keeps the number. Tap the round counter each time you pass your marker, set a target to see the progress ring fill, and put your work down knowing the count is saved and synced across your iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Markers and a counter together are the calmest way to crochet in the round.
