Never Lose Track of Your Knitting Rows Again - Here's How

For cable stitches, find the hole where the cables cross.

Cables can be hard to read because the stitches slant. The easiest way is to find the hole that naturally appears where the cables cross. Put your finger through that hole. Above the hole, you'll see horizontal "ladders". Count those ladders. The number of rows in that cable section is the number of ladders minus one. For instance, seven ladders mean you have six rows.

Use a knitting needle tip as a pointer.

If your eyes have trouble following the stitches, take the tip of a knitting needle or a yarn needle. Point to each stitch as you move from the bottom to the top. Count out loud or in your head. This helps you keep your place.

Get a stitch counter.

Stitch counters are small devices that you can put on the end of a needle, keep on a table next to you, or even wear like a necklace. After you finish each row, push the button or turn the dial. Look for a counter you can operate with one hand so you don't have to put down your knitting every time. Some counters lock so you don't accidentally add a row when you're not working.

Try a knitting app on your phone or tablet.

There are free apps that work as row counters. Tap the screen once at the end of each row. Popular ones include BeeCount Knitting Counter, Knitting and Crochet Buddy, and Knitting Row Counter. They are simple and hard to lose.

➡️ Prefer a low-tech approach? And how can you count rows in larger projects without stopping every time? The final page has the answers.