Tutorial
How to Use Stitch Counters for Pattern Repeats
Every project needs a row count. Most patterns quietly need two or three more numbers than that, and those are the ones people lose.
In RowTally, each project can hold additional stitch counters next to the main row counter. This is how to set them up and what to point them at.
Adding a counter
Open a project to its counter screen. Below the main count you will find the stitch counter row — scroll it to the end and tap the + tile.
Give the counter a name that says what it counts: "Pattern repeats", "Increases", "Cable rows", "Colour changes". A counter called "Counter 2" will be a mystery in a fortnight.
Using it while you work
Each stitch counter has its own + and − buttons and moves completely independently of your row count. Tap the main area for a row; tap a counter when that specific thing happens.
The rule that keeps this reliable: never derive one number from another. If you find yourself thinking "row 46 divided by twelve means…", add a counter instead. The arithmetic is exactly where mistakes enter, and it breaks the moment a pattern has a set-up section or a few plain rows in between.
What is worth a counter
Not everything needs one. These four earn their place most often:
- Pattern repeats — the count people lose most, because a repeat boundary leaves no trace in the fabric
- Increases and decreases — increment only on shaping rows, and note the row number of the last one
- Colour changes — in stripes, the change count is often easier to trust than the row count
- Sections — sleeve, yoke, body: one counter per section keeps a garment traceable
Removing one
Long-press a stitch counter card and choose Delete. Worth knowing before you do: deleting a counter removes its count, and there is no undo for that — unlike a single tap, which the undo button handles.
On the free tier each project includes one additional stitch counter alongside the row count. Premium removes that limit if you need three or four per project.
Frequently asked questions
How many stitch counters can I add to a project?
The free tier includes one additional counter per project alongside the main row counter. Premium removes the limit, so you can add as many as a pattern needs.
Do stitch counters reset when the row counter does?
No. Each counter is independent, so resetting the row count leaves your repeat and increase counters untouched. Reset each one deliberately.
Can I use a stitch counter to count actual stitches in a row?
You can, but for a single row it is usually faster to count the fabric. Counters earn their keep for things that accumulate over many rows — repeats, increases, colour changes — where there is nothing to count back.