Clever ways to keep track of rows/stitches?

#1

Hi - I am very new to knitting. I took it up last weekend as a sort of therapy. However, I tend to “space out” while knitting (how am I going to pay tuition for 3 kids in college, what will I make for dinner, why does the dog pull my sleeve while I’m trying to knit??) and I often lose track of where I’m at. I can tell what is a purl stitch and what is a knit stitch in the same row but where I get really lost are the rows. For instance, my current scarf project is a simple pattern of row one: knit 2 purl 2, row 2: repeat, row 3: purl 2 knit 2, row four: repeat, repeat pattern. I have a hard time remembering what row I just completed.

I hope I’m not the only one who has this problem and am looking forward to any advice.

micki

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#2

there is a post up on this site about favorite knitting accesories. there are some cool little devices listed on there. i tend to use, most often, the pen and paper method -llll/ llll/ -kind of thing. old school. i also have a stitch counter that cost me about a buck fifty at my lys. it is just a little spinny wheel that i manually adjust the #s on. it fits onto most of my smaller straight needles, so if i am going to the lake or sitting through a child’s school performance i can use that and not have to mess with paper or anything. but definitely check out that other post. i seem to remember a really nifty bracelet for keeping track of stitches/rows.

#3

Hi. I too use the paper and pen method but recently I found another way to keep track of rows that was much more fun. I had a pretty china bowl full of white beads that I always meant to use somehow but never did. At Christmas I put the bowl in the middle of the coffee table in front of me and when I finished a row I would put one down and then continue in a row with them as each row was finished.

They’re pretty to look at and easier then picking up the pencil each time. I suppose if you had different rows like in your pattern, you could use colored buttons. Ok, maybe this sounds stupid but it is an alternative and easy.

#4

My S-N-B friend does the M&M method… If the pattern is “work garter stitch for 30 rows” she counts out 30 M&Ms when she starts, and at the end of each row she eats one. If she gets lost, she can just count what is left over (this only works if you don’t have friends who eat your M&Ms, though).

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#5

This is the best idea I have ever heard!!! Easy to keep track of and yummy too!!!

Thanks!!!

Trish

#6

That’s so fun!!! I love it! And you get a little extra reward for having finished a row! :slight_smile:

(Chocalate and knitting. Is there a better combo?) :smiley:

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#7

Apparently it’s not drinking and knitting!

ROFL!! Sorry if I offend, Egeria! I just really enjoyed that story.

#8

That’s neat, but I would eat more than I was supposed too… :oops:

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#9

ME TOO! that’s why it doesn’t work for me :roll:

#10

I am currently trying the paper and pen method - works very well at home. I do like the M&M method - it’s versatile - like the beads, I could use a different color to distinguish rows. Or I could even be “good” and substitute something healthy for the M&M’s (yeah, right!)

micki

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#11

I’m not offended beldaraan! It is a funny story and I can look back and laugh now!

As far as using M&M’s to count rows, it’s a great idea, but I use knitting as a way to STOP snacking! If I weren’t knitting it’d be too tempting to run to the fridge and make a snack.

I’m doing well with it, though I have to get back to my running soon. Will be back to be slender sevlte self soon!

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