Losing track of your row count is one of the most frustrating moments in knitting — especially mid-pattern when the next instruction depends on exactly where you are. Here is how to count rows in every common stitch pattern, whether you have a row counter or not.
Why This Happens
Row counters get forgotten, apps close, and marking every row feels tedious in the middle of a flow. The good news is that knitted fabric keeps its own record: every row leaves a visible trace you can count directly in the fabric.
How to Count Knitting Rows
The method depends on your stitch pattern. Each looks different, so here is a guide for the most common types.
Counting Rows in Stockinette Stitch
Stockinette (knit on the right side, purl on the wrong side) is the easiest to count on the knit (smooth) side.
- 1Hold your work with the knit (V-shaped) side facing you.
- 2Find a column of stitches — the Vs stack directly on top of each other.
- 3Count the Vs from the cast-on edge upward. Each V is one row.
On the purl side, each row appears as a horizontal ridge (bump). Count the ridges instead if you prefer.
Counting Rows in Garter Stitch
Garter stitch (knit every row) creates horizontal ridges on both sides.
- 1Each ridge is made of two rows — one ridge visible on each side.
- 2Count the ridges on one side and multiply by two. Or count on one side and add one if you just completed a ridge.
A common mistake: counting ridges as one row each. If your pattern says 20 rows garter and you count 10 ridges, you are correct.
Counting Rows in Ribbing (k1 p1, k2 p2)
Ribbing compresses rows vertically, making them hard to count from the fabric. The cleanest approach:
- 1Use a row counter from the start, clicking after each row.
- 2If you forgot, count the stitches in a knit column. Each V in the knit column represents one row — same method as stockinette.
Counting Rows in Lace
Lace rows look very different from each other, which is actually helpful.
- 1Use a printed or annotated chart and find your last completed chart row by matching the pattern of yarn-overs and decreases.
- 2Count chart rows from row 1 to your current position.
If you are unsure where you are in the chart, count from a known landmark like the beginning of a repeat.
Counting Rows Without a Row Counter
You do not need a physical row counter. Practical alternatives:
- 1Tally marks on paper — simple and reliable; cross off each row as you finish it.
- 2Phone app — Knit Counter, Knitting Companion, and Row Counter apps all work offline.
- 3Stitch markers as row markers — place a coloured marker every 10 rows by threading it through a stitch loop (not onto the needle). Count markers × 10, then count remaining rows above the last marker.
- 4Lifeline + marker — insert a lifeline (contrast thread) every 20 or 30 rows and label it. You will always know the count at the lifeline and only need to count up from there.
Prevent It Next Time
- Click your row counter at the end of every row, not the beginning — so if you put down mid-row, you know where you are.
- Place a row marker every 10 rows as a backup, especially in long stretches of stockinette.
- Keep a notepad with your project for tally marks — a simple pen mark survives phone battery death.
- Use a project bag with a pocket for your row counter — keeping it with your knitting means it travels with you.
Related Problems
If you are tracking your rows, you might also run into:
- How to fix a dropped stitch in knitting
- Why is my knitting too tight
- How to join yarn in knitting without knots
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