Reading Your Knitting (Counting Rows)
Reading your knitting — being able to look at the fabric and count rows, identify the row of the pattern, and find your place — is the most useful single skill in knitting after the basic stitches themselves.
Recommended A printable technique cheat-sheet for your knitting bag.
Counting stockinette rows
On the right side, each "V" is one stitch in one row. Count Vs vertically up a single column to count rows. The row currently on the needle counts as the most recent row.
Counting garter rows
In garter stitch, two rows form one ridge. Count ridges vertically and multiply by two for the row count. The half-ridge currently on the needle counts as one extra row.
In partnership Tools and supplies that make this technique easier.
Identifying the pattern row
For lace and cables, look at the position of yarn-overs, decreases, and crosses to identify which chart row you just completed. Match the visible pattern to the chart from the bottom up.
Finding your place after a break
Always note the chart row before stopping for the day. If you forget, count from the last identifiable feature (a cable cross, a yarn-over row) and work backwards or forwards.
Abbreviation reference
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| RS | right side |
| WS | wrong side |
Tips
- Count rows in stockinette by counting Vs vertically up a single column.
- In garter stitch, two rows = one ridge — multiply ridges by 2.
- For lace, identify the row by matching the visible pattern to the chart.
In depth
Reading your knitting is a skill built up over many projects. Once you can identify rows, decreases, increases, and pattern rows from the fabric alone, you become much less dependent on a row counter or written instructions — you can pick up any project at any point and find your place.