Stitch Markers and Row Counters

One of the less attractive features of learning how to knit is having to learn how to count. There is incessant counting. Casting on.Checking for dropped stitches. Recounting to check that the first count was accurate. Recounting again because the first two counts don't agree. Counting out cables and stitch patterns and lace patterns. Counting to match two of anything. Refusing to count is how sweaters are made with mismatched sleeves.

It seems that someday counting will become more automatic. I've already noticed an easing of the counting stress which comes along with being able to hold the yarn automatically. And after dropping the needles becomes less automatic, and after the initial frustration of not believing that yarn will someday follow one's wishes.

The thing about Counting is that either you are a Counter or you are not a Counter. I happen to think that people count in order to fall asleep. Like counting sheep. Counting is like anesthesia. One elephant, two elephant, three elephant, four --- There's a man standing over her in a blue medical robe and mask -- she's out. But, in the case of knitting, her hands are still going for it, making a mess. If you space out for just one second, you are doomed to make a mistake which often means that you must Rip Your Stuff Out.

More to come about Ripping...

But, for Counting, there is help. A White Knight on a White Horse with a Gleaming White Grin. Not my type but if he can help to avoid ripping he must be an invaluable resource. Thing is, Knitters of the Past have devised solutions.

I didn't find out about these techniques until after I was convinced that I had completely lost my entire brain. But, an elderly lady in a yarn store eager to help and rich with wisdom listened to my traumatic tale of the dishcloth, an ugly thing meant only for practice which had a heart pattern. It took me probably 2 months. She showed me stitch markers, ugly plastic rings that were embedded all over the sweater she was knitting. These are kind of like Post-It Notes for knitting. You can place them every 20 stitches, you can keep track of all increases, descreases. They were so ugly I didn't think I could use them. Some open up and click close, some are simple rings. Companies make special brass safety pins that can be used. I love these because they are not plastic but they also don't fit on to all needles. A nice option is to tie scrap yarns into circles and use those. Beginner knitters don't really have a lot of scrap yarns, except for that one piece of dark blue yarn that shows up in the wash week after week. Clingy little bugger.

I also found a book called Knitting in Plain English by Maggie Riggetti which has a whole chapter on Counting. It really fascinates me that more books don't include this information.

The problem for me in the end is organization, and some sort of subconscious problem. I keep losing track of where I put the stitch marker box and so they are never around when I needed them. They get lost very very easily.

One teacher in a yarn store told me that the one most important piece of advice she gives to knitters is to learn how to read the knitting itself. Obviously this was great advice. Sounds so spiritual. Learn to read the Fire. Learn to read the Surf. Learn to find your dropped stitches before it's too late. If only this Teacher Genie were installed permanently in a bottle by my bed so that at 2am when I simply can't put the damn knitting down I could let her pop out and tell me how many rows are in the cable I made that looks suspiciously 3 rows longer than all the other cables. I knit almost an entire bag with 10 row cables on one side and 12 row cables on the other side. I swear to God I was counting. And I was "reading the knitting" -- like a true beginner. So, now I have two pillow covers because the two sides don't match.

Stitches aren't the only thing one must count. Stitch Markers are only for the horizontal count. The vertical count needs Row Counters. Stores sell row counters that look like tiny slot machines or abacuses, more plastic, that hang around one's neck, tie to one's knitting, fit on to the end of the needle. Problem is when you forget to change the number of the row when you reach it.

Knitter's have shown me how to tally the rows on a piece of paper which for them always seems to be at their side. This is better. This is like being the World War II Flying Ace who counts enemies shot down during combat. Counting = War, especially to a beginning knitter who can't really Read The Knitting.