Knitting Row Counter
Track rows, rounds and pattern repeats side by side, with buttons big enough to tap with needles in your hands.
Space or ↑ adds a row to the selected counter, ↓ takes one back, ←/→ switch counter, Z undoes. Click a counter to select it.
Counts are kept in this tab. They survive a reload where your browser allows it, but nothing is sent anywhere and nothing is tied to an account.
What this tool does
A row counter keeps your place in a knitting pattern so you do not have to count stitches back from the cast-on edge. This one runs several counters at once, because a real pattern usually needs a total row count and a separate repeat count tracked at the same time.
Gives you as many independent counters as you need, each with its own name, so body, sleeves and pattern repeat are tracked separately rather than juggled in one number.
Set a repeat length on any counter and it reports which row of the repeat you are on and how many full repeats you have finished, which is the arithmetic most physical counters leave to you.
Every press is undoable, including a full reset. Space, the arrow keys and Z/Y drive the selected counter from the keyboard, so you can add a row without looking away from the stitches.
How to use it
- Rename each counter for the part you are working - body, sleeve, edging, or the pattern section.
- Set the repeat length if that counter tracks a repeating pattern, or leave it at 0 for a plain row count.
- Tap the large plus button at the end of every row, and the minus button if you tap one too many.
- Add more counters as the pattern needs them, or reset them all when starting a new project.
- Tap a project chip - jumper, front and back, a 4 or 12 row repeat - to set the counters up in one go.
- Switch on Keep screen on so the phone does not sleep between rows, and Vibrate so a tap confirms itself without you looking.
Why use this counter
Losing your place in a pattern is the most common knitting mistake, and your hands are busy. Large buttons and separate counters for body, sleeves and repeats keep track without paper.
Why we built it
We built the knitting row counter with several counters at once - body, sleeve and repeat - and buttons big enough to tap with needles in hand. Chart a design with the crochet pattern maker and count with the clicker counter.
If your task goes further, try the Patio Pattern Generator.
Who this tool is for
- Knitters and crocheters tracking rows
- Pattern followers working in rounds
- Crafters with needles in their hands
When to use it
- Counting rows and rounds in a project.
- Tracking pattern repeats.
- Keeping several parts of a garment separate.
- Resuming after a break.
Tracking repeats without arithmetic
Most patterns have a repeat - a block of rows worked over and over. Knowing you are on row 47 does not tell you what to knit; knowing you are on row 11 of a 12-row repeat does.
Set the repeat length and the counter shows both figures at once: the current position within the repeat, and the number of complete repeats finished. Instructions such as "work eight repeats then shape the shoulder" become directly readable rather than a division problem done mid-row.
For a project with a repeat inside a repeat - a lace panel within a wider pattern - use two counters and advance them independently. That is more reliable than trying to derive one from the other.
Rows and rounds are counted differently
Flat knitting on straight needles produces rows, and you turn the work at the end of each. Circular knitting produces rounds, worked continuously in a spiral with no turn.
This matters because a stocking stitch pattern worked flat needs alternating knit and purl rows, while the same fabric worked in the round is knit every round. A pattern written for one and worked in the other needs the row instructions translated, not just the count.
Count a row as complete when you finish it, not when you begin the next. Advancing the counter at the moment you turn the work is the habit that keeps the number honest.
Keeping the count trustworthy
- Advance the counter at exactly the same moment every row - most people find turning the work the natural trigger.
- Verify against the fabric every twenty rows or so. Counting garter ridges, or stocking stitch V shapes up a column, catches a drift early while it is still cheap to fix.
- Use a removable stitch marker every fiftieth row as a physical checkpoint the counter can be checked against.
- When you put a project down mid-row, note that fact. A counter cannot tell whether the current row is finished.
- Set gauge swatches on their own counter rather than reusing the project's.
The counts here are kept in the page and, where your browser allows it, restored if you reload the tab. Nothing is sent anywhere and nothing is attached to an account, which also means a count is not synced between your phone and your laptop.
Undo, keyboard control, and exporting a count
Every row added or subtracted is recorded, so Undo (or the Z key) steps back through the actual presses that happened, not just a guess at the previous number. Redo (Y) restores a step you undid too far. Reset all is undoable the same way - clearing every counter to zero is one wrong click, and it should not cost you an evening's rows.
Space or the up arrow adds a row to whichever counter is selected, the down arrow takes one back, and left/right arrows move the selection between counters. That is enough to keep counting with your eyes on the work rather than on the screen, which is the situation this tool is actually used in most of the time.
- Copy counts puts a plain-text line per counter - name, rows, and repeats done - on the clipboard, ready to paste into a project note or pattern PDF.
- Download CSV saves the same totals as a spreadsheet row per counter, plus a timestamped log of every count and reset if you want to see pace over a session.
- Vibrate gives a short pulse on every added row, so a press registers even if you glance away before the number updates.
- Keep screen on requests a wake lock so the display does not sleep mid-row; it is released automatically if the tab is hidden and re-requested when you come back.
What you give it, and what you get back
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Controls | Tap to add or subtract; name each counter. |
| Settings | A repeat length per counter. |
| Output | Row, repeat and position in repeat, saved on this device. |
Issues you may run into
| What you see | Why it happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Counts disappeared | Browser data was cleared or a private window was used. | Note the row elsewhere for long projects. |
| Counter on another device is different | Data is not synced. | Keep one device for the project. |
| A miscount | A tap was missed or doubled. | Use the subtract button to correct. |
Assumptions and limitations
- Counts are kept on this device in this browser. They are not synced across devices and are not backed up anywhere.
- Clearing your browser data will clear saved counts. For a long project, note the row number somewhere physical now and then.
- The counter cannot know whether the current row is finished - that judgement stays with you.
- There is no row-by-row pattern storage. This counts rows; it does not hold the pattern instructions themselves.
- Private or incognito windows usually discard saved counts when closed.
Frequently asked questions
How do you keep track of knitting rows?
Advance a counter at the same moment in every row, most naturally when you turn the work. Verify against the fabric every twenty rows by counting garter ridges or stocking stitch columns, and place a removable marker every fifty rows as a physical checkpoint.
What is a row counter?
A device or tool that tallies the rows you have knitted, so you do not have to count them back from the cast-on edge. Traditional ones are barrels that slide onto a needle; a digital counter can additionally track pattern repeats and several project parts at once.
Can I track more than one counter at once?
Yes. Add as many as you need and name each one - body, sleeve, edging, pattern repeat. Each counts independently, which is what a pattern with a repeat inside a larger structure actually requires.
Will my count be lost if I close the tab?
Usually not. Counts are saved in your browser where it permits, and restored on reload. They are not synced between devices, and clearing browser data or using a private window will discard them, so note the number down for a long project.
Does this work for crochet?
Yes. Rename a counter to rows or rounds and use it the same way. Crochet repeats work identically - set the repeat length and it tracks position and completed repeats just as it does for knitting.