Tutorial
How to Count Rows in Knitting
Knitting is unusually unforgiving about row counts. A missed decrease in a sleeve or a yoke shows up as a fit problem, and by the time it is visible the fix is to unravel back to it.
The good news is that knitted fabric is much easier to read than crochet fabric. Once you know what shape to look for, counting rows is reliable — and there are a couple of stitch patterns where it is genuinely trivial.
Short answer
How do you count rows in knitting?
In stockinette, count the "V" shapes stacked in one vertical column on the right side of the fabric — each V is one row. The loops on the needle are not a completed row. In garter stitch, count the raised ridges and multiply by two, since each ridge is two rows. Whether the cast-on counts as row one depends on the pattern, so check its notes and stay consistent.
Stockinette: count the V shapes
On the right side of stockinette, each stitch looks like a small "V" — sometimes described as a chevron or an arrowhead. Every V is one row.
Pick a single vertical column somewhere away from the edges, where the fabric is even, and count the V shapes upward. Do not count the loops sitting on the needle: those are the stitches of the row you are about to work, not a finished row. If you are counting a long piece, count in groups of ten and keep your place with a fingertip or a marker.
Garter stitch: count ridges and double it
Garter stitch is the easiest fabric in knitting to count, and it is worth knowing the trick even if you rarely knit it.
The fabric forms raised horizontal ridges. Each ridge is made of two rows — one knit row and one purl row from the fabric's point of view. Count the ridges on one side and multiply by two. If the pattern gives you an odd row count, remember the final row may be half a ridge.
Ribbing and textured patterns
In ribbing, count along a single knit column as though it were stockinette — the knit ribs show the same V shapes, and the purl columns between them are irrelevant to counting.
For cables, lace and anything chart-based, do not count individual rows at all. Count the completed pattern repeats and multiply by the rows per repeat, then add the rows into the current repeat. This is faster and much less error-prone, and it happens to be the number the pattern actually cares about.
Does the cast-on count as row one?
There is no universal answer, which is why patterns disagree and knitters argue about it.
Many patterns treat the cast-on edge as a foundation and call the first worked row "row 1". Others count a long-tail cast-on as row 1 because it does create a row of fabric. A well-written pattern tells you. If yours does not, decide before you start, write it in the margin, and never change it mid-project. As with crochet, the choice matters far less than the consistency.
Habits that make counting unnecessary
Experienced knitters rarely count rows in finished fabric, because they set things up so they do not have to.
Mark every twentieth row with a locking marker in the fabric. Increment your counter at the end of each row, so the number always means completed rows. Keep a second counter for the repeat you are inside — this is the count people actually lose. And note the row number before you put the needles down, especially for a short interruption.
- Locking marker every 20 rows
- Increment at the end of the row, never the start
- A separate counter for the pattern repeat
- For shaping, note the row of the last increase or decrease
- Write the row number down before any interruption
Rebuilding a lost count
Measure the piece and divide by your row gauge — with 28 rows per 10 cm and a 12 cm piece, you are at roughly 34 rows. That is close enough for most plain sections.
For shaped pieces, find the last landmark instead: the final decrease, the armhole split, the last colour change. Count from there rather than from the cast-on. And if you are knitting the second of a pair, count the first one — the sleeve you already finished is the most accurate row counter in the room.
Frequently asked questions
Do the stitches on the needle count as a row?
No. The loops on your needle are the stitches waiting to be worked, not a completed row. Count only the finished rows below the needle.
How do you count rows in garter stitch?
Count the raised ridges and multiply by two — each ridge represents two knitted rows. It is the quickest fabric in knitting to count accurately.
Does the cast-on row count as row 1?
It depends on the pattern. Many patterns treat the cast-on as a foundation and call the first worked row row 1, while others count a long-tail cast-on as row 1. Follow the pattern's notes, and if it is silent, pick one convention and use it for the whole piece.
How do I count rows in a cable or lace pattern?
Count completed pattern repeats rather than individual rows, then multiply by the rows per repeat and add your position within the current repeat. It is faster, far less error-prone, and matches how the pattern is written.
What is the easiest way to keep track of increases and decreases?
Use a second counter that is independent of your row count, and increment it only on shaping rows. Then note the row number of the last shaping row too — that pair of numbers is enough to reconstruct where you are even after a long break.