Regular knitters know their work is not a simple one-time job. They can’t just start and finish in one sitting. Putting down your work means forgetting which row you were on. Sometimes you can lose track of the rows even during knitting. This is why it is important to learn how to count rows in knitting.
As simple as this may be for long-time knitters, it is a skill that comes with practice and requires hacks to perfect. When there are many rows to count, identifying stitches can become quite a daunting task. However, there are some tricks you can employ in order to smoothly knit a complete pattern without losing the count of your rows.
There are ways to count rows while knitting, some include external tools, while others simply require items you can easily find at home. We have compiled a detailed guide that teaches you how to count rows in knitting like a pro.
Reading your knitting is an essential skill. It’s what differentiates an amateur knitter from a great knitter! However, this requires knowledge of the types of stitches you are doing and how you can read your knitting to count the rows for different types of stitches.
In order to correctly count the rows during knitting, it is important to identify your stitches and distinguish between whether you knitted a stitch or purled it. You also need to be able to tell which lines you see make up a stitch. This can easily be done by identifying certain shapes.
Let’s see how you can easily identify your stitches.
Step one in identifying the stitches is to forget about the stitches in your cast at the bottom of the row and the stitches on your needle. Start counting rows from above the cast up till the row right before your needle.
An easy way to identify stitches in a stockinette stitch is to look for V shapes in what you have knitted so far. This is because every V represents a stitch in a row. So you can start by counting all the V’s in a straight line to count the number of rows in the knitted pattern.
In a garter stitch, the easiest way to recognize stitches is to look for U shapes. This also works if you are counting from the purl side of the project. Every upside-down U represents a stitch in a single row. This can be counted from top to bottom to identify the number of rows knitted.
There is another way to count rows in knitting that doesn’t involve manual counting and that is using row counters. A row or stitch counter is a tool that can be easily placed at the end of your needle or kept by your side while knitting.
You can simply punch the button on the row counter to mark the number of rows you have knitted, without worrying about losing count and starting over. Some stitch counters are easy to use, especially with one hand, so you do not have to pause working to tally the count.
If you are looking for a simple button press row counter, consider the Herrschners Susan Bates Digital Row Counter Accessory, which can be easily worn around your finger like a convenient ring!
Another type of row counter is one that comes with a locking feature. You can lock numbers to avoid accidentally pressing the button and messing up the count. One of the best-reviewed row counters with a locking feature is Knitter’s Pride Rainbow Row Counter. This is a stainless-steel and hypoallergenic device that makes your knitting projects easy to track.
Another easy way to do this is by using a smartphone device. You can simply download a knitting application and tap the screen to enter every single new row you complete. This will be an easier and cheaper way to keep count of rows while knitting, without having to make any new purchases.
There are some easy tricks you can use to count rows in knitting, using items you can easily find at home.
Knitting is a very therapeutic hobby, and a lot of people find it quite relaxing to knit in their free time. However, sometimes it can be quite frustrating when you lose attention and miss the count or pattern you were following.
Counting rows while knitting can keep you from losing track and stay focused. Now that you know how to count rows while knitting using two different techniques, there are some other things that you can try to make this task even easier.
Using good quality knitting needles can make knitting a breeze! Another excellent way to make knitting easier, especially for beginners, is to get a knitting book! You can easily find the best knitting books to learn about new and exciting hacks that make knitting even more fun!
We hope you found this article helpful!
Good luck!
