Garter stitch lace

[ann]

Because of my ineptness in starting the shawl in garter stitch lace with 3 sts and making mistakes by sometimes forgetting to mark down the rows,   I tied a bit of yarn round one needle, and having cast on with that needle, it meant that if the knitting was on that needle, I had done an even row.  
    Came in useful even later when my attention wandered a bit between rows.. It would be useful for any garter stitch pattern.