I am knitting an afghan called “Textured Panels Afghan” by Patons. It’s done in strips, with blocks of various stitches using three different colors of yarn. I thought it would be pretty straightforward for me, but I am having a terrible time keeping track of rows!
Is there a secret to counting rows?..something to make it more simple for people like me? When I change colors, there is a row of two colors…the new one underneath the old one. As I try to go up the rows, I get soooo confused, yet the blocks are going to have to match when I go to putting the strips together at the end!
I’m so sorry to bother you all with this…it seems like it should be so simple! I try to keep track as I go, and sometimes it’s fine, but other times I’m distracted by household activities and must lay it all down. When I come back, it’s the same old “same old” of trying to figure out where I am in knitting and in pattern.
I hope I’ve not muddled this question too much…thank you for your responses.
You can use a post-it note or paper clip to mark your rows in the pattern… or go through an highlight every other row, if that might help.
If you don’t have a row counter, you can just do hash marks on scrap paper to mark which row you’re on.
Also, it might help to establish a routine for when you’ll stop knitting. For instance, you’re only going to stop knitting after knitting 5 rows— so when you pick up your work, it will be easy to tell if you just finished the 10th row or 15th row, or whatever.
If I’m doing a pattern where I have to keep track of rows by some way other than looking at the knitting, I’ll make a list of the rows. 1,2,3,4, etc, and circle any that need extra attention such as a cable or increase/decrease. Then I cross each one out as I finish a row. For me, actually having to pick up the pencil and cross off something works better than using a counter since I can never remember if I turned it.
I read about another fun way to keep track–say you have to do 10 rows. Line up 10 M&M’s, and eat one every time you complete the row. This works especially well if there aren’t any hungry kids lurking around. :teehee:
I use tally marks, you know the ones where you make four tics and then a fifth one diagonally, that way I can see how many rows I’ve done at a glance. It’s good to make yourself do this and build up the habit, especially if you find yourself getting up a lot; it’s not worth it to have your panels not line up in the end, just because you thought you’d remember where you were … TRUST ME
I started out with hatch marks and I really like it. I got a row counter but find myself preferring the marks.
I do a lot like Ingrid does - I like to print out the instructions with spaces between row instructions so I can make my marks. I just can’t follow a pattern with everything jammed into one paragraph. :??
If I’m having trouble with counting, I use small safety pins. I place one at the begining of every ten rows. That makes it easy to count by tens to see how far I have gotten.
once again I M late when I know a good answer
make aseriese of loops on a string of contrasting yarn
weight one end with a stitch marker of sorts
make as many loops as you need to do before you repete
then as you come to the round marker, go up the next loop in the chain
when you get to the top, do what you need to do, and start at the bottom again.
its like the M&Ms, but less fattening if you have a BIG project (like a shawl or sweater) Besides, then you can eat the M&Ms at your own pace as the stress Dictates
Here’s a link for how to make a row counter using scrap yarn. I love, love, love this method because there is no chance of forgetting to mark a piece of paper, etc.
I just discovered your replies. I really like your ideas for row-counters, and will try that, too.
Right now I’ve gotten a little notebook and am taking notes for each group of rows and toggling them on paper as I go. It’s really helping, but I’m having to put the knitting down each row in order to make sure I mark that that one is finished. These row-counters might be just the thing to add to my new little “toolbox” of helps!
