Free Tutorial: How to Make Your Own Stitch Markers

Many of us makers are also magpies. We like sparkly rocks and sea glass and pretty little treasures. When you get to the point that you may have collected too many of them, though, you can also turn them into useful things. I used mine to make stitch markers, which are one of my categories of truly essential knitting tools.

In today’s post, I’ll walk you through exactly how to make stitch markers from sea glass and pebbles, along with some things I learned the hard way and some tips to make the process easier for you. 

Materials List

Here’s a complete list of materials I used to make my stitch markers, along with links to source those materials (I’ll link to the exact item whenever possible). These are affiliate links, which means if you choose to buy something through these links, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I will always identify affiliate links for you. Thanks for supporting my work!

• Sea glass and pebbles (I found these while beach combing; don’t collect from places where you aren’t supposed to do so, and be mindful about not picking up too much)
• Jump rings
• Leverback earring findings
• Bead caps with prongs
• Jewelers epoxy
• Needle nose pliers (you’ll need two pliers)
• Aluminum foil (to protect your work surface)
• Gloves (to protect your hands)

Choosing Your Stone/Glass Pieces

Not all pretty stones and pieces of sea glass make good charms for stitch markers. I look for pieces no bigger than my thumbnail and no smaller than my pinky nail (these are very precise measurements, I know). You want to find pieces that won’t be too heavy for use as a stitch marker, but you also want pieces that are big enough that they won’t be overwhelmed by the prongs on the bead caps.

I recommend using pieces that are as close to cylindrical as possible. The flatter the piece, the harder it will be to get a good seal between the stone/glass and the bead cap. Flat pieces are harder to avoid with sea glass, but some are thinner than others. Try to choose one that’s as thick as possible.

A Note About Adhesives

About halfway through, I got kind of annoyed with having to mix the two-part epoxy and having it dry up before I had used it all, so I tried superglue on a few pieces. It was suboptimal.

For one, the superglue was runny, so it spread to other surfaces more easily and caused some sticking issues as a result. Worse, though, was that the superglue interacted with the surface of the beadcap, covering it in a weird, powdery-looking coating that had a rough texture. 

The jewelers epoxy is annoying and smelly, but worth it for better results.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Right then, let’s get started! Here’s how to make stitch markers out of sea glass and pebbles, from start to finish.

Prep Your Workspace

Step one, of course, is to gather up all your materials and prepare your workspace. Because the adhesive dries quickly, you’ll want to be ready to work as fast as possible once you’ve got it mixed up. Think of it like doing your mise en place before you start cooking.

Spread out some aluminum foil on your work surface to protect it from the adhesive while your stitch markers dry. If a bit sticks to your markers, it’s easier to peel off at the end than paper would be. 

Choose which pebbles or bits of sea glass you’d like to use for your markers and set them out in an easily accessible spot. Then you’ll want to pick up each pebble and the bead cap that you plan to use, and gently fit them to each other. I like to bend the prongs a little bit in place so that when I put the adhesive on, everything sticks nicely. 

Mix Your Epoxy and Apply It

 Once you’re ready to start gluing, you should put on some gloves to protect your hands from the adhesive. I did get some epoxy on my hands the first time I made these stitch markers, and I was able to remove it with some acetone nail polish remover, but it’s best to avoid exposure to strong chemicals if you can. 

I used a two-part jeweler’s epoxy that I linked in the supply list above. Mix a small amount of the epoxy on a paper plate here because frankly, you don’t want to put this stuff on your food dishes. Then use a disposable stick of some sort, like a coffee stirrer or a bamboo skewer, to get everything stirred up really nicely. 

Once everything is nicely mixed up, take your pebble and your bead cap and pull them apart. Dip the pebble into the epoxy. Then, press it back into the bead cap in the same way that you had it there before. This helps make sure that there is as much adhesive between the bead cap and the pebble as possible. 

Follow the drying instructions on your adhesive. 

Bend the Prongs on the Bead Caps

Once everything is sufficiently cured, grab one of your pairs of pliers and your dried charm. Look at the prongs on the cap to see if there are any that are kinda loose and sticking out. Those are spots where your project can get snagged, so you need to bend them into place.

Using your pliers, squeeze gently on the prongs to bend them down against the pebble or glass. Don’t squeeze too hard because that can break the connection between the adhesive and the surface of the pebble. Once the prongs are all bent into place, you can start assembly. 

Use Jump Rings to Connect Pieces

Now comes the fun assembly part. You’re going to need two sets of needle nose pliers, some leverback earring findings, and some jump rings. 

Hold the jump rings with your two needle nose pliers with the seam at the top and twist to open. Do not pull the jump ring apart by pulling your hands to the right and the left. You’re twisting your hands in opposite directions, one hand going forward and one going backward. 

Continue holding the jump ring with one set of pliers. Pick up your earring piece and put it onto the jump ring. Then grab whatever charm you want to use, and put that onto the jump ring, too. 

Once you have both pieces onto the jump ring, use your second set of needle nose pliers to twist the two sides of the jump ring back together again. Again, remember you are not pulling them apart and then pushing them together. You are just twisting them. 

And that’s it. This is a really simple process. Your stitch marker is all done, and if you’re like me, you’re now going to be obsessed with making dozens more. Happy making!

P.S. – If you don’t have time to make your own markers, here are several household items that work surprisingly well.