Chart work

Being a novice chart reader, there are two things that I've just discovered:

Chart markers: fripperiesnbibelots

1. Using a chart makes knitting so much easier!  Once you've got the symbols sorted in your head, you really do fly along each pattern line.  Yes, you'll be knitting slower to begin with, but all of a sudden, it becomes second nature.  I've been very hesitant about following charts, but all the things I want to make require this skill, so it was time to be brave.  Start with something fairly simple, and within no time, you'll wonder why you were fearful.
2. Pattern safes / chart readers are a must!  The more complicated the pattern, the more likely it is that you'll lose your place, or inadvertently repeat the wrong line.  I've been struggling to keep my place by balancing a piece of paper under each relevant line, but that's fiddly, particularly when you're also working with multiple balls of yarn, or, like me, enjoy knitting in the car.  I've been told that Post-Its work quite well, but their stickiness diminishes rapidly if you're placing and re-placing the square every few minutes.  The answer is quite simple: pattern safes / chart readers.  In essence, they're like bookmarks, held in place by a couple of magnets - and these ones, by Fripperies & Bibelots, are just perfect.