Counting rows as I look at the knitted piece

[Mary]

Sometimes it says to count rows and then I put the knitting down
and forget what row I'm on. How can I count the rows as I look at the piece.

[Silver]

It's easiest if you just use a row counter. You can use anything that keeps track of what row you're on. Here are a few different kinds.

To manually count your rows, on the purl side, count purl bumps. And on the knit side, count the knit Vs.

[Carol_OH]

and aren't the stitches on the needle count as a row, too? (I hope so, or I have been counting rows wrong all this time!)

[Silver]

Yep yep yep! They count too! Thanks for reminding me

[Nuno930]

And is it just on garter sticch that you double the bumps? So if I counted 12 rows it really = 24? Right

[Ingrid]

Yes, on garter you count each row of bumps as two rows.

[Ingrid]

I don't count the stitches on the needles as a row since they haven't been knit yet. I've been looking in all my books to find a definitive answer to this but have come up empty.

[Silver]

I just use a row counter. It's the definitive answer.

[Nuno930]

I just use a row counter. It's the definitive answer.

Yeah, but then you start knitting away and say around row 56ish look down at your row counter and sit there and think... "Did I click that for this row or was that the last row " confusion sets in. There could be some throwing and possibily screaming...

[Ingrid]

That's why I gave up on a row counter. I could never remember to click the thing and/or couldn't remember if I had. I just put my needle in the first hole in the first stitch and count all the way up. As I said, I don't include the loops on the needle as a row, but I don't think that makes a difference as long as you always do it the same way.