Knitting row counter: how to keep track of rows with your phone

A row counter for knitting is a number you push up by one each time you finish a row. On a phone, that means a counter app with a big + button and a name for each project. In Tally Counter you make one counter per project, tap + at the end of every row, and use − if you tapped one too many.

How to use a row counter

The method is the same whether the counter is a clicker, a barrel on your needle or an app.

• Count at the same moment every row. Tap right after you finish a row, not halfway through. That way the number always means "rows completed", and you can tell where you are when you pick the work back up.
• Keep one counter per project. A single shared counter gets reset and mixed up once you have a second project on the go.

Crochet works the same way: count rows, or any repeat you want to track.

Set it up in Tally Counter

1. Open the app. On the Counters list, tap New Counter (the first time, the empty screen shows Create Counter).
2. Type a name in the field, such as "Scarf" or "Sock 1", and tap Create.
3. Tap the counter to open it. The name shows as the title.
4. Tap the big + after each row. You'll feel a haptic tap each time (you can turn that off in Settings).
5. Tapped too many times? Tap −. It subtracts one and is disabled at 0, so the count never goes below zero.
6. To rename a project, tap Edit, change the name and tap Save.
7. To start over, tap the reset button. The app asks "Reset this counter to 0?" before it does anything.

A small "Today" badge on the counter shows today's net change: rows you added minus any you took off with −.

For the second project, go back to the list and add another counter. Each one keeps its own number. To delete a finished project's counter, swipe it in the list.

What this kind of counter can't do

• It doesn't count for you. There's no camera or sensor involved. Every row is a manual tap, and if you forget to tap, the number is off.
• It doesn't know your pattern. There are no pattern uploads, no "increase on row 12" reminders and no repeat tracking. If your pattern is complicated, keep the pattern itself open next to the counter.
• Plain +1 and −1 only. You can't set a different step, a goal or a reminder.
• No sync. Counts are saved on the iPhone you use, with no account. They don't move to another device.

If you only need to know which row you're on, that's enough. If you want to count other things with the same app, the click counter guide covers what a tap counter is good for.

Counting is free

Counting is free, with unlimited counters. Premium only adds Insights (totals, daily average, peak hour and an activity chart), which you don't need to keep track of rows.