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Row counter We all face this challenge when knitting or doing a crochet project - keeping track of how many rows have been completed. I'm an old fashioned person and I use the pen and paper method. But sometimes you can't find the pen or it runs out of ink. I tried a method my mother used to use and that was poking the knitting needle through the number. I didn't like that method, in fact it could be dangerous. So it is time to change.
So I decided on a very simple counter using some thin ribbon, some beads and mini clothes pins.These were all things I already had in my craft stash. I put the big wooden bead in the middle, added a couple of small beads either side and knotted the ribbon. This will be the top. Then on each side I added 9 beads. The bottom of the ribbon was knotted together. The white side is for the numbers 1 to 9 and the blue side is for the 10's to 90's. So how do I count? Each time I complete a row I move the little yellow clothes pin under a white bead. When 9 rows are complete it will be at the bottom. When completing row 10 the yellow pin will go to the very top of the white row and the green pin will go underneath the first blue bead. Remember each blue bead counts for 10 rows. The photo to the right shows I am one row 26 (counting from the top down). Two blue beads for 10 each make row 20 and 6 white beads for 1 row each to make 6. 20 + 6 = row 26. This can lay on the seat beside, or on my lap when I'm working. It even slips over my wrist! This eliminates the paper or pen from slipping off my lap. My next challenge will be to find beads with numbers on them, or find a way to add numbers to the beads. If you want to share how you count rows, please leave a comment and let me know. Your way might be better than my way. I'm always open to suggestions.
Since making the row counter above, I've modified it slightly to make it a bit easier. So instead of moving the little clothes pins, I've made it so that you just have to slide the beads down. You need 2 strands of cord for each row of beads. I fastened each cord onto a ring. When threading the beads on you need to poke each end of the cord through the bead from opposite sides, pull the cord through and then add the next bead. I hope the next photo will show you how to do this.
Here is a finished row counter that will count up to 99 rows. Each time I complete a row I slide one white bead down, when 9 rows are complete, push the white ones up to the top and slide down 1 green bead which represents 10 rows of work.
Here is another row counter that will count further than 100, as some of the patterns I work on require a lot more rows.
On this counter the white beads count from 1 to 9 rows, the green beads count the 10's and the black beads count the hundreds. It's just like being back in school and working on place value again. So the photo above shows I'm on row 173.
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