Tutorial
How to Set Up Your First Project in RowTally
Setting up a project in RowTally takes about two minutes, and only the name is required. The rest of the fields exist to answer questions you will have later, not now.
Create the project
Tap + in the top right of the Projects screen and enter a name. That is enough to start counting.
Pick a colour while you are there. On a screen with four projects, colour is what lets you find the right one without reading.
Fill in the fields that matter later
Yarn name, needle or hook size, pattern name and notes are all optional, and all four are close to unrecoverable once the project is off the needles.
Yarn name and dye lot matter when you need one more ball. Needle size matters when the second sleeve has to match the first. Notes matter when you modified something on row 40 and cannot remember what. Thirty seconds now, while the information is in front of you.
Set a row target
Entering a target row count unlocks the progress ring, which fills as you count. It is the difference between "row 147" and "73% of the way there", and it is a surprisingly effective reason to do one more row.
If the pattern gives a length rather than a row count, convert it with your row gauge: 40 cm at 28 rows per 10 cm is about 112 rows. An approximate target is far more motivating than none.
Run the force-quit test
Before you trust any counter app with a real project, do this once. Count ten rows. Swipe the app away from the app switcher. Open it again.
RowTally writes every tap to the device immediately, so it will show ten. An app that only saves when it closes gracefully shows zero — and would do the same thing on row 240 of a blanket, or when iOS closes it in the background to reclaim memory. It is thirty seconds, and it is the only test that really matters.
Start counting
Tap the large area in the middle of the counter screen once per row. Every tap gives haptic feedback, so you never need to look at the screen to check it registered — which is the entire point when both your hands are busy.
Double-tapped? Tap Undo. Finished? Open the … menu and choose Complete Project to mark it done with a completion date.
Frequently asked questions
Is the project name the only required field?
Yes. Everything else — yarn, needle size, pattern name, notes, target rows and colour — is optional and can be added or changed later with the pencil icon on the counter screen.
How many projects can I create for free?
Two, each with the main row counter plus one additional stitch counter. All counting features are included in the free tier and there are no ads. Premium removes both limits.
Can I change a project's target after I start?
Yes. Tap the pencil icon on the counter screen and update the target row count; the progress ring adjusts immediately.