Tool School EXTRA CREDIT: Universal Knitting Counter
Hey everyone! Shannon & Jason here, from @embracethecreativechaos on IG!
Picture it: you’re at your local guild meeting, and one of your stitching friends is extolling the benefits of using a bowl of those candy-coated chocolate candies to count their rows and to keep track of their increases, decreases, and pattern repeats. Work a row, eat a candy. Crochet, knitting, and crunchy chocolate candies…perfection! But let’s be honest here –counting with a bowl of chocolates is like enlisting a mischievous squirrel who is just as likely to eat the evidence as to count it. Do we speak from experience? That’s our little secret. With the chocolate method your rows are more apt to mysteriously disappear, leaving you with both a messy project and a sugar rush. So, next time you’re torn between the two, remember: knitting needles, crochet hooks, and chocolates – while fun and delicious –aren’t always the best combination for accurate work.
Are you tired of losing track of your pattern repeats? Tired of suddenly realizing that watching those bickering housewives maybe isn’t the most conducive environment for tracking detailed lace work and having to frog? Well fear not, because we’re about to introduce you to your new BFF in the world of crochet and knitting – the magnificent, the awe-inspiring…row counters! (ok, maybe we’re a little hyperbolic… but they are pretty smooth). With three types of counters to choose from, you will have the PERFECT counter for hooks, needles, and projects.
Why choose counters over a bowl of chocolates? Let us count the ways…
- No More Row-Related Amnesia: We’ve all been there. You’re stitching away, getting lost in your creative bubble deciding if that thing you said to that person in junior high really was the cause of all of your mistakes from then until now (just us??), and suddenly you’re left questioning whether you’re on row 12 or row 20. Enter the row counter, your trusty sidekick that remembers the numbers for you. No more second-guessing or losing track – simply click the counter or twist the knob after each completed row/repeat, and TADAAA! A precise record of your progress. Never again will you spend hours frogging your work in frustration because you lost count.
- Minimal Brainpower Required: Let’s face it –knitting and crocheting requires enough brainpower as it is. Juggling stitch patterns, color changes, and avoiding that rogue cat that insists on sitting on your lap and staring directly into your eyes as if to steal your very soul…it can be exhausting. Why waste precious brain cells on counting rows and pattern repeats when you can let a row counter do the job? It’s like having a personal math wizard at your service. Slow stitching is not just about creating beautiful items; it’s also a therapeutic and meditative experience. A row counter relieves you of the mental burden of tracking rows, allowing you to immerse yourself fully in the soothing rhythm of knitting. With your mind at ease, you can truly enjoy the therapeutic benefits.
- No Chocolates Were Harmed: Sure, you could count rows using the ol’ bowl of chocolates, but that’s a risky game. Chocolates have a tendency to mysteriously disappear (trust us, we don’t make the rules… it’s science), and with a counter, your rows stay neat, your lace lines up perfectly, your decreases are tidy, and your yarn remains chocolate-free. A win-win situation!
- Accuracy Guaranteed: Knitting row counters are the Einsteins of accuracy. They don’t get distracted by that baking show (what was he thinking not chilling his butter first!?), they don’t forget numbers faster than your goldfish. Have to put your work down to answer the phone (do people still call?) or to stop the dog from running around with your good pair of socks? Your row counter will be there when you get back telling you exactly where you left off. Your project and your sanity will thank you!!
- Portable Perfection: Stitching is supposed to be portable…So Imagine having to lug around that bowl of chocolates (okay…once again, we’re being a bit hyperbolic, but work with us here). Row counters are small, lightweight, won’t trigger security alarms at the airport, and won’t roll around beneath your feet during turbulence. Whether you’re knitting on a mountaintop or crocheting in your favorite coffee shop, your row counter’s got your back. So, there you have it, our yarn comrades. Embrace the row counter and bid adieu to row-counting headaches and chocolate-induced chaos. Your stitching journey will be smoother, your increases smooth as silk, and your lace repeats will be spot on.
NOTE:
To be clear, Shannon and Jason in no way condone the complete abolition of chocolate while stitching. We love chocolate and have a vast supply that we partake from on a regular basis. Eat more chocolate. Stitch On!
-Shannon & Jason 🙂
