Free guide · knitting and crochet
How to count rows
Knit or crochet, the trick is the same: count what you can see in the fabric, not what you remember. Here is what to look for in each stitch.
| Fabric | What to count | Rows |
|---|---|---|
| Stockinette (knit side) | The Vs in one column | 1 V = 1 |
| Garter stitch | The ridges | 1 ridge = 2 |
| Ribbing | The Vs in a knit column | 1 V = 1 |
| Single crochet, flat | The ridges | 1 ridge = 2 |
| Double crochet, flat | The tall stitches up one edge | 1 post = 1 |
Knitting
Stockinette: count the Vs
On the knit side, every stitch looks like a small V. Pick one column and count the Vs from just above the cast-on edge up to the needle. Each V is one row. The loops on your needle are one more row.
Garter stitch: count the ridges, then double
Garter stitch makes horizontal ridges. Each ridge is two rows, so count the ridges on one side and multiply by 2. Twelve ridges are 24 rows.
Ribbing: follow a knit column
In 1×1 or 2×2 rib the purl columns sink and the knit columns stand out. Stretch the rib a little sideways and count the Vs up one knit column, the same as in stockinette.
Crochet
Single crochet: count the ridges, then double
Worked flat and turned at the end of each row, single crochet forms ridges. Each ridge is two rows: one worked in each direction. Count the ridges and multiply by 2.
Double crochet: count the tall posts
Each row of double crochet is one tall stitch high. Look at one edge and count the posts from the bottom up.
The starting chain is not a row
Count from the first row of stitches worked into the chain. The chain itself does not count.
Habits that save a recount
- A stitch marker every 10 rows. You only ever count up from the last marker.
- Count twice in the same place. Use the same column or the same edge every time.
- Write the row on the pattern when you stop, before you put the work down.
- Lifeline plus the row number. A lifeline lets you rip back safely; writing down its row tells you where you land.
Questions
Do the stitches on the needle count as a row?
Yes. When you count Vs in stockinette, the loops on your needle are the last row you worked, so add one.
Does the cast-on count as a row?
Usually not. Count from the first row above the cast-on edge. If your pattern says otherwise, follow the pattern.
How many rows is one garter ridge?
Two. Count the ridges on one side and multiply by 2.
Is a single crochet ridge one row or two?
Two, when you work flat and turn at the end of every row: each ridge is one row worked in each direction.
