How do you count rows (especially while cabling)?

Hi knitting friends! I was curious to hear how you all keep track of what row you’re on? Do you use a stitch counter, a scrap of paper with tallies, something else? Just wanted to hear other people’s processes!

I tried out the paper technique and liked it but found it tough when I needed to frog a section, or sometimes I was knitting on the go and didn’t want to lose it… Lately I’ve been using an iPhone app called Tally where you tap the screen to increment, and pull down to decrement – one thing that’s nice about it is it shows a timestamp of the last time you changed it, so sometimes that can help with the age-old “wait… I can’t remember if I already counted this row or not??”

I’d also love to hear if anyone has tips on the best way to count rows while looking at a pattern with cables? I’m struggling sometimes to double-check if I’m not sure if I miscounted my rows, but I get confused on how to count with the twist involved…

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To be sure that I have the same number of rows between cables, I put either a stitch marker just outside the cable cross row or use a sewing thread to mark the cable row. From then on it’s easy to be confident about the next cable cross.
When the ability to post photos is back, I’ll post one.
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I just use stitch markers for everything that is more than what my memory can handle. I could never rely on an app for this as I would begin to wonder if I remembered to click the app after finishing a round. When using stitch markers at something like every 5th round or every 10th round (or whatever repetition is convenient for the pattern) I can quickly find out where I am.

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I do this with scrap yarn, usually thinner than the project yarn. I just found that t

there are YouTube videos for this too. KnitCompanion is an amazing app for tracking, especially helpful for cables and lace.

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Like a couple of the others, I mark the start or end of the cable section with a lifeline. In this case, it’s a 6-row repeat. I leave 1 or 2 extra lifelines in place, so I can compare and see what the rows look like.

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I write EVERYTHING down. Ha! I usually knit at home so taking my notes with me is not a problem.

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I use a stitch marker to start the begining and a paper pencil to write down the # of rows. As I am getting older I feel the need to write to keep my count.

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I count the stitches in each cable since the last cable; i.e., 2 or 4 or 6, however many rows you’re supposed to knit before cabling. After you’ve done a few, you can usually just look and see where you are without counting.

Maybe it’s easy for me since I’ve been knitting cables for over 60 years.

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Like @Beth_Leatherman I use the knitCompanion app to count rows and use it to scribble on my patterns and highlight the size I’m knitting. Love it.

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I use an old fashioned style row counter on the needle. I can usually tell if I have or haven’t added the row to the counter based on whether I’ve just done a right or wrong side row and if the counter is on an odd or even number.

I also count all the rows when the pattern says to continue until a certain length, that way I can count the same number of rows for back and front of a sweater (although I still made a mistake on my qast project).

I also use post it stickers (sticky notes) on the paper pattern to indicate which row I’m on.
I’m doing a lace with a 12 row repeat and using 2 sticky notes I can obscure the pattern above and below the one I’m working so I am less likely to start reading the wrong row! At the end of the row I reposition the notes to see the next row, and I turn my row counter, and I am leaving a life line on row 1 of the repeat too! So many checks!

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I use one of those little ‘magic’ pads where if you press the button the screen clears. Saves the rainforest, easy to carry around, you can write on it with the tip of your knitting needle, or a fingernail, add notes, I wouldn’t be without it!

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I’m more likely to go this way when (if) I attempt cabling or lace work. I use a note book and 5 bar gate to keep tabs on my work and I hadn’t thought of using sticky notes to cover over previous rows, I like that idea :+1: a friend uses an iPad for counting rows etc, but I haven’t tried it. I’m having a go at crocheting in between knitting at the moment, been trying to keep a granny square square :grin:

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That sounds a good idea, my notepad is coming to the end and I was going to buy a new one. Thank you.

I use one of those “row clickers” whenever I need to count rows. It’s from Clover and red and makes that clicky sound when u press down on the button.

The handiest method for me to use.
Knitcindy

I’m an avid note taker. Years of going back to projects that I was sure at the time, I’d remember, taught me better

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I’ve started my first project on circulars and obviously can’t use my counter on the needles. I am now doing the 5 bar gate jotted on the back of my printed pattern.

Addition to the using the ‘magic pad’ tip - if you want to save what’s on it before you move on to the next row and have to wipe the screen, just take a photo of the screen…duh - took me a while to work that one out!!

Quick question

Where do u buy one of those “magic pad” things??

Thanks
Knitcindy

They are little LCD ‘pads’, made by various people - there’s a teeny 4.5” one by Boogie Board that I like, and bigger ones if you want to write more. There are cheaper versions, though I am not sure if the battery life is as good, and on the ones I’ve found you can’t replace the battery. I get them on Amazon.com (I live in Hong Kong, and it’s the easiest way to get many things, amazingly). I’m doing a baby blanket at the moment (amongst the various other projects on the go, as ever), using fairly complicated repeat patterns that vary row by row. I hate searching for my place in the stitch dictionary, so I write out the formula for each row as I get to it, then wipe it and move on to the next one - if the rows are long enough (mine are about 200 stitches each), it’s worth it!! You always know which row you are on, and where to come back to if you have to stop knitting in the middle of a row - you can add little notes to yourself if you want to… (as already said, if I don’t want to lose a note when I wipe the screen, I just photograph it with my phone). Much easier for the eye to go straight to the right place (for me). And I like the fact that I’m not using paper (although I’m sure the plastic they are made of isn’t green, but I’m doing my best!), just because a) it saves the rainforest a bit, and b) I can update my little LCD pad using the tip of my knitting needle as a pen - handy!

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I use markers, Sometimes I have six markers going at the same time one for each section, I like the markers that you put on the needles hi and then sometimes I tie the flat marker right to the section change the rows as I go. Simplistic But I never lose count and know where I am all the time.