My favourite new thing: my necklace

For a long time, I've worn a little sterling silver crochet hook pendant on a necklace. I love it, but it's always felt a little wrong to me.

I mean, I'm a knitter.

I've wondered about a knitting equivalent, but never really found the thing.

Until this past Vogue Live in New York. Thanks to the Tsock Tsarina, I was introduced to the fabulous work of Leslie Wind. She's a jeweler, and she makes the most wonderful things for fiber artists.

I was idly looking at a nice display of shawl pins in the booth of Tsock Tsarina. And there it was. The clouds parted and the heavenly choir sang.

A hand-made sterling silver bent-tip darning needle. It's stunningly beautiful and just perfect for me. One of my favourite classes to teach is Finishing, after all. I am a loud and enthusiastic proponent of seaming.

And I regularly go on and on and on about how wonderful the bent-tip needles are.

Sold!

It's taken me a few weeks to figure out how to wear it, though. I initially just stuck it on a chain, but it hung sideways - you couldn't see the gorgeous eye. And then I tried a jump ring, but because the eye is quite deep, it didn't hang right.

Last week, when visiting my K/W posse, I asked Sue if she knew anyone who could help. She looked at me rather askance, texted Jen, and within minutes my problem was solved.

You see, Jen makes stitch markers. Lovely clever and fun little beaded stitch markers. In fun shapes.

So she just made me a custom stitch marker. A long skinny rectangle. With a bead, of course.

Now it's perfect. And I haven't taken it off.