Are you a crocheter or knitter? Looking for good ideas for row counters? Yeah me too, and here I am going to go over a few I have used and the pros and cons of each. These will be mostly simple row counters, with one that will track rounds and rows also.
So, what made me start this whole research mess? Well, I have had a few afghans I had been making for a client, and one personal, and they were just simple repeats of the same row over and over. Now, usually if I have a pattern that repeats different rows again and again I just mark my progress on a printout of the pattern. Yes, old school but if it’s more than 2 rows I’m repeating I will lose track. And I hate having to stop to physically count my rows, esp on larger projects, to see if I’ve done enough. I had already lost my paper and pencil count for one project, see 4 year old, and had received a simple finger row counter with a yarn order I decided to try.
Here are 4 counters/ counting methods I am going to review. These are all my personal opinions that worked for me and I in no way am being asked by any of these companies to do this. They go from super simple to more ‘techie’ so as to have a wider idea of options available.
- Pen/pencil and sticky notes
- Finger row counter I received with an order from Hobbii.com
- Knitting buddy app for android
- Knitbit, a row counter that can be used on some Fitbit devices
Pen/pencil and sticky notes
I am sure everyone has used this at some point, pencil and sticky notes, or marking rows on the printed pattern. There are some patterns I still use this for.
Pros– Easy to get your hands on and very low tech! Easy to carry small sticky notes with you or place on your pattern. Can set up to count rows and well as repeats. Putting a sticky note on more complicated patterns to keep track of rows means always, hopefully, having it handy. Did I say low-tech? So yeah, I know many people who camp or take projects to parties or picnics when they don’t want to blow their phone battery. This one is also really good for long car trips or plane rides.
Cons- Easy to lose, can’t always take with easily. And if, like at my house, you have a toddler (or cats) they can be taking and used for other things.
Finger row counter
Ring type device that counts just rows. As you can see, this one that I got with a yarn order, has a rest button and a counter button. Super simple design. I will admit to not knowing how long the battery life on this is.
Pros- Ring style sits on your finger while you work. No putting down all your work to hit a simple button to count finished row. Easy enough to reset for other projects when done.
Cons- Easily can be reset in the middle of a project. Can also easily be hit to add rows that weren’t done, there is no button to delete rows so you’d have to reset and start over. For me, using it on my thumb was most convenient but the adjustments were either a bit too snug or too big. It did chafe a little after using it for a stretch of time and I wanted it off, which defeats the purpose of it being on your hand. Little hands like to play, again I have a toddler. If taking with you can’t really be stored in a bag in the middle of a project without buttons getting pushed.
Knitting Buddy for Android
There are 2 versions of this app in the play store, here I am reviewing the original not Knitting Buddy 2. I also paid like $2 for the ‘pro’ version of this almost four years ago. There is also no longer help from the designer.
Phone based app that is more than just row counting. You can set up a project for what yarn and needle/hook you are using, any notes where you made it different, if repeats of a pattern you can track rows and repeats. There is also a spot if your pattern is an online version that you can put that and have the pattern available in the app offline.
Pros- This app has the perk of tracking more complicated projects with rows and repeats. Having You can also track how long a project takes to work. Multiple projects can be added, if like me you are never doing just one at a time. This app also has a number of other resources in it that are helpful. From organizing your hooks/needles and yarn to a small 4″ ruler.
Cons- This app uses some major battery on your device while in use. You either have to stop between every row and unlock your device or leave the screen on and unlocked. This takes time to do and I found at some points had me either losing my momentum.
Knitbit for Fitbit
This app works with your Fitbit if you have an Ionic, Versa, Versa 2, or Versa lite. You download the app within the Fitbit app on your phone, then setup your projects there before it shows on your Fitbit device. This is a simple row counter, nothing else. Funny enough I found this one because I was thinking ‘I wonder if anyone has thought of a row counter for fitbit?’. So to the internet and I found it right away LOL.
Pros- Easy to use to set up just a project name. Once in the app on your fitbit you just have to turn your wrist to turn the screen on and it’s there. Always with you if you wear your Fitbit daily. No running down your phone battery. You can actually move the app to a section of your device, with the versa 2 at least, that you want it. I moved it closer to the front of the apps when swiping left for easier access. No worries about having to carry or keep track of multiple papers or row counters for simple projects. Can subtract rows if a mistake was made and you have to frog it back a bit.
Cons- Only counts rows, so very much something for simple projects. No other information besides a project name either on the phone or on the device. It appears that to open the app on the Fitbit you need to be near your phone to get the project list, but as long as you don’t X out of it on the Fitbit itself it stays available.
Conclusions
So ultimately which row counting method seems best? Well, there are 2 really and it depends on if you want simple row counting or row and repeat counts.
Simple row counter
I am personally loving the Fitbit app for simple row counting. I usually have my Fitbit on and if it’s not on me I am likely not going to be knitting or crocheting. It’s simple to work with and get projects going. It also doesn’t take a lot from my momentum in my work or use a ton of battery life.
Row and repeat counter
Now if I am doing a project that I need to track rows and repeats of those rows I am likely to keep using the Knitting Buddy app. It is a bit more of a learning curve to get a more row/repeat project organized before you start but, it is on your phone and can be ready for you traveling too as most of us take our phones everywhere. The original app is on your phone with all the data while the Knitting Buddy 2 is cloud based. The newer version also is $0.99 per month subscription for the pro version. I have no plans to upgrade as the newer version doesn’t offer me much more that will make it worth it for me, just with the little rummaging I did.
