A cable repeat can be easy to miss when you are also keeping track of sleeve shaping. A knitting row counter app with reminders keeps your counts and the instructions that go with them together, so there is less to hold in your head while you knit.
Knitting Row Counter is free to download for Android, iPhone and iPad. You can name your counters, link them so they advance together, and add your own reminders for repeating steps or a particular row.
How to keep track of knitting rows when several counts matter
Your overall row number and your place in a cable or shaping sequence answer different questions. Keeping multiple row counters on the same screen lets you see each one without trying to reconstruct it from the total.
Give the counters names that match the part of the pattern they track. In the example above, they are:
- Rows: the overall row count for the section you are knitting.
- Cable Rows: the rows counted through the cable sequence.
- Shaping Rows: the rows counted through the shaping sequence.
Those names are examples you can adapt to your own project. A sleeve, a lace panel or a striped section may need different labels. What matters is that you can glance at a counter and immediately know what it represents.
Use linked counters to advance them with one tap
Link your secondary counters to the main row counter. When you tap the main + button, the linked counters advance too. You do not need a separate tap for each count after every row.
Linked does not mean identical. In the example, one tap moves Rows from 35 to 36, Cable Rows from 7 to 8, and Shaping Rows from 3 to 4. They move together while keeping their own values. That is useful when the cable or shaping section begins later than the overall row count.
Set row reminders for cables and shaping
Some instructions come around regularly: work a cable, make an increase, or check the next shaping step. Add row reminders to the relevant counter so your message appears when that counter reaches the chosen value.
The two examples below use different repeat lengths. Cable Rows has a reminder every eight rows, while Shaping Rows has one every six. Each reminder follows its own counter, not the overall Rows number.
A cable reminder every eight rows
For a cable instruction that repeats every eight Cable Rows, use these reminder settings:
- Open the reminder settings for Cable Rows.
- With Single/Interval switched off as shown, enter 8 in Start.
- Turn On multiples on.
- Write a message such as Check cable instructions.
The message appears at Cable Rows values 8, 16, 24, 32 and so on. In the opening image, it appears when Cable Rows reaches 8 even though the overall Rows counter is at 36.
A shaping reminder every six rows
Set up a separate reminder for Shaping Rows, this time using Start: 6, with Single/Interval off and On multiples on. The example message is Check increase instructions, appearing at Shaping Rows values 6, 12, 18, 24 and so on.
This is useful for a sleeve where the increase schedule differs from the cable repeat. You can keep the two instructions separate rather than squeezing them into one note and checking both after every row. Use the repeat numbers and starting position from your own pattern.
Add a one-time reminder for a particular row
Not every instruction repeats. You might need to check the next section, change yarn color or begin a new part of the design at a particular row.
For the example below, set a reminder on the Rows counter with Start: 50, leave Single/Interval off, and turn On multiples off. Write Check next section. This targets the single counter value 50 rather than its multiples.
The same approach works for any specific row you want to mark. Put the next action in the message so you can understand it at a glance when you reach that point.
Write reminders that make sense while you knit
Your reminder can be a short instruction or a prompt to check a particular part of the pattern. Check cable instructions is useful when you want to consult the full cable directions; a more specific note can identify the action or chart you need next.
- Name the action: “Check sleeve increases” is clearer than “Remember shaping.”
- Match the counter: put the cable note on Cable Rows and the shaping note on Shaping Rows.
- Read it before working the relevant row: for these examples, use the displayed value as the row you are about to work, check the message, then follow that row’s instructions.
You can also keep your imported PDF pattern or pattern image alongside the counters in Knitting Row Counter. The reminder brings the next action to your attention, while the pattern gives you the full instructions. For the wider app features, see Knitting Row Counter for Android or our knitting app for iPad and iPhone.
Frequently asked questions
Can I track cable rows and total knitting rows at the same time?
Yes. Use a main Rows counter and a secondary Cable Rows counter. Link them to advance both with the main + button while keeping their separate counts visible.
Can different counters have different reminders?
Yes. For example, Cable Rows can show a reminder on multiples of eight while Shaping Rows shows another on multiples of six. You choose the message and row value for each reminder.
Can I set a knitting reminder that does not repeat?
Yes. In the single-value setup shown above, leave On multiples off and enter the counter value you want. The row-50 example uses this to show “Check next section” at that particular point.
Can I use these reminders for color changes or buttonholes?
Yes. Write a message for the action in your pattern, then choose a single row value or enable On multiples for a regularly repeating instruction. The counter names and reminder text can match the project you are making.
Keep your next knitting step beside your row count
Start with the counts you actually need: perhaps overall rows and one cable or shaping counter. Add a reminder for the instruction you are most likely to overlook, then link the counters that should advance together.
Download Knitting Row Counter free from Google Play for Android or the App Store for iPhone and iPad, and keep your rows, repeats and reminders together while you knit.