Counting Rows

Yesterday morning one of my new students was working on the cable pullover that I designed for my intermediate knitters to teach them certain techniques that will help them in future knitting projects. As I was walking around the class table I saw that she had completed her first cable successfully (!) and asked her how she was keeping track of her rows. She said she was keeping the count in her head. I pointed out that it might be better to keep track with pencil and paper or with a row counter. If the phone rings as you're working on your project or someone starts talking to you or you put it away and get it out later, the row numbers that you had in your head may just go out one ear and not come in the other! I stressed that it is always is important to keep track elsewhere than just in your head. When she decided to use pencil and paper I showed her what some of my students like to do. I wrote down the number of rows she would be working in a numbered list like this:
1.
2.
3.
Then as you work each row, check it off. The checks will tell you what row you will be starting with next.

I found a neat YouTube video at http://tinyurl.com/d4poep where counting the rows of a cable if you forget where you are in the pattern.

In my Tuesday evening class last night one of my students was starting the Sherlock Holmes Scarf (you can find free pattern and pictures at http://tinyurl.com/cvsrng ). This scarf is knit in the round with a 16 inch circular needle. Since my student would need to be counting rows and she couldn't figure out how to use a row counter on a circular needle I showed her what I do. I thread a thin piece of yarn through the center of the row counter using a tapestry needle. Then I put a safety pin onto the yarn and tie the yarn into a knot. You can now pin your counter to your ring marker that you are using to separate the beginning and end of your rounds. It's right there "in your face" each time you complete a round so you don't forget to turn it! Here's a picture:


So dear knitters, the important thing to remember is to COUNT those rows!
If you have a favorite way to keep track of your rows please write about it in the "comments" below.