# How Do You Keep Track of Rows When Knitting?

https://rowandround.app/guides/counting-rows/how-to-keep-track-of-rows-when-knitting · Counting rows; published 2026-11-01, updated 2026-11-01 · Kallos Labs

> Use one running count (a row counter, a tally or a marked pattern line) and one backup, such as a stitch marker every 10 rows or reading your stitches. Together they let you find your place again.

The simplest way to keep track of rows is to use two things: one running count, such as a row counter, a tally on paper or a mark on your pattern line, and one backup you can check against, such as a stitch marker every 10 rows or reading the stitches themselves. The running count tells you where you are. The backup tells you whether to trust it. Knitters work rows and crocheters work rounds, and everything below works for both. For more on counting itself, see the [counting rows guides](https://rowandround.app/guides/counting-rows).

## What are the main ways to keep track of rows?

Five methods cover almost everyone, and most knitters combine two.

| Method | Good for | Watch out for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Row counter | A running total on long stretches | You must remember to advance it |
| Tally on paper | Short pieces, no gear needed | Easy to forget to make the mark |
| Marked pattern line | Knowing which instruction comes next | Moving the mark after every row |
| Stitch markers | Checking and recovering a count | Only as precise as the spacing |
| Reading the stitches | A backup that needs no tool | Harder in fuzzy or dark yarn |

Lion Brand points out the common weakness of counters, counting boards and paper tallies: they only work if you remember to update them ([Lion Brand](https://lionbrand.com/blog/the-ups-and-downs-of-knitting-counting-your-rows)). That is why a second method is worth having.

## What does a row counter do?

A row counter is the general name for a device that helps you keep your place in a pattern. Simple repeats like garter stitch can be knitted without one, while complex cable and lace patterns, sweaters and shawls generally need some way to track rows ([KnitPro](https://www.knitpro.eu/en/blog/using-row-counters-for-knitting)).

A mechanical counter moves up by one each time you press it, and some can be locked with a switch so the number does not change while your knitting is set aside. One habit matters with any counter: advance it at the same point in every row, for example when you turn your work.

## How do stitch markers help?

Markers turn a long count into a short one, which is why so many knitters swear by them. Place a marker every 5 or 10 rows, then count the markers along the edge and multiply ([KnitPro](https://www.knitpro.eu/en/blog/using-row-counters-for-knitting)). Twelve markers at 10 rows each means 120 rows, with no counting of single rows.

Markers also help you find your way back. Berroco's Emily Oneil put a marker on a stitch in every increase row, so she could count markers rather than read a heavily textured fabric. Because the markers fell at the start of each pattern repeat, ripping back to one showed exactly where a repeat began ([Berroco](https://blog.berroco.com/2015/10/14/emily-explains-how-do-you-keep-track-of-your-knitting/)).

A detachable marker or a safety pin works for marking a row you have already knitted. Lion Brand's readers add their own versions: a split ring every ten rows, with a different colour at each tenth row, or a plastic ring at the end of each knit row when the yarn is fuzzy.

## How do you mark your place in the pattern?

Mark the line you are on, so you know which instruction comes next. Readers of Lion Brand's post move a sticky note down the pattern as they finish each row, or keep the current row on top of a stack of index cards ([Lion Brand](https://lionbrand.com/blog/the-ups-and-downs-of-knitting-counting-your-rows)). On a PDF, tick marks work the same way, and one Berroco reader keeps things simple with paper, a pencil and tick marks ([Berroco](https://blog.berroco.com/2015/10/14/emily-explains-how-do-you-keep-track-of-your-knitting/)). Whatever you use, move the mark as you finish the row, not as you start the next, so it always shows where you have been.

## Can you count rows without a counter?

Yes, and it is the best backup you have. Skip the cast-on row, because it is not counted as a row, then count the rows above it, plus the one on your needle ([Lion Brand](https://lionbrand.com/blog/the-ups-and-downs-of-knitting-counting-your-rows)).

- Stockinette, right side: each knit stitch looks like a V. Count the Vs above the cast-on, then add the row on your needle.
- Garter stitch: count the ridges on the front and the ridges on the back, then add the two totals.
- Cables: find the hole where the cables cross and count upward from it ([KnitPro](https://www.knitpro.eu/en/blog/using-row-counters-for-knitting)).

The full steps are in [how to count rows in knitting](https://rowandround.app/guides/counting-rows/how-to-count-rows-in-knitting). If you can read your stitches, a missed click never costs you a whole project.

## What do you do when you lose your place?

Don't rip anything back yet. Count from the nearest fixed point: start at your closest marker, count the rows above it, and compare the result with your counter and your pattern. If they agree, carry on. If they don't, trust the stitches over the tool, set the counter to the number you counted, and write that number down.

A marker on a known row also helps with cables and lace, where the twists make it hard to tell how many rows have passed since the last cross ([Lion Brand](https://lionbrand.com/blog/the-ups-and-downs-of-knitting-counting-your-rows)).

## Try it in Row & Round

In Row & Round, one tap on +1 moves the count and the [highlighter bar](https://rowandround.app/features/highlighter-bar) to the next row together, and your place is saved on every tap. If you tap by mistake, Undo takes it back, and you can hold the count to type a number when you start mid-pattern. The [row counter](https://rowandround.app/features/row-counter) counts rows for flat knitting and rounds for knitting in the round and crochet.

For decreases or buttonholes, [row alerts](https://rowandround.app/features/row-alerts) can show a note every N rows from a row you choose, such as "Decrease row" every 6 rows. The alert shows when you arrive on the due row, before you knit it.

## Bottom line

Choose one running count you will actually remember to update, and add one backup that does not depend on a tool: a marker every 10 rows, or the habit of counting the Vs and ridges. When the two disagree, trust the stitches and reset the count.

## Questions

### Do I count the cast-on row as a row?

No. Start counting on the first row above the cast-on, and count the row on your needle as the row you are working.

### Do I need a row counter for garter stitch?

Not always. Simple repeats like garter stitch can be knitted without one, and you can count the ridges instead. Cables, lace, sweaters and shawls are easier with some way of tracking.

### Where do I put a stitch marker to track rows?

On a stitch at the edge, or on a row you want to remember. Many knitters add one every 5 or 10 rows, then count the markers and multiply.

### Do crocheters keep track the same way?

Yes, with rounds where a pattern works in the round. A counter, a marker on a known round and a marked pattern line all work the same way.


## Sources

- [Lion Brand: Counting Your Rows in Knitting](https://lionbrand.com/blog/the-ups-and-downs-of-knitting-counting-your-rows)
- [KnitPro: Using Row Counters for Knitting](https://www.knitpro.eu/en/blog/using-row-counters-for-knitting)
- [Berroco: Emily Explains, How do you keep track of your knitting?](https://blog.berroco.com/2015/10/14/emily-explains-how-do-you-keep-track-of-your-knitting/)