Am I the only one obsessed with these things?
I can't tell you how many chuckles I receive from fellow knitters when I pull out my labeled row counters! I have one for almost every project on the needles, and they're all labeled to ensure against any sort of accidental mix-ups when putting them in their respective project baggies.
Is this unusual? (I think I already know the answer to this one, so I'm considering this a rhetorical question).
See, I often work on a few projects at once in the course of a day. So, I may have three of these babies out at the same time on the same table or in the same bag. I need the labels!
And, as you've probably already guessed, I am very retentive about row counting. It's the obsessive side of me luxuriating in the opportunity to count knitting rows and understand the logic of how it all fits together. Plus, for some reason, I seem incapable of keeping visual track of the rows when trying to count them by hand.
Or something like that. (Most likely, I'm just really anal about my knitting).
Anyway, so I get these chuckles from my fellow knitters when I pull these out with their little labels. Pulling them out in front of a new group of people, usually initiates a whole discussion about how some people don't use them, or they use them but don't label them, OR they prefer ticks on the pattern itself, OR they can't remember to punch the counter after a row and the counter has the reverse effect -- messing them up as opposed to keeping track. Some people don't use anything at all and just count rows by hand when they get to milestone pattern sections (this fascinates me and one day I hope to BE you people!).
But always, ALWAYS, the discussion comes back to how funny it is that I not only use these counters -- apparently, if people use row counters, they mainly use the little barrel-shaped ones -- but that I actually LABEL them. And, always, no matter if I'm knitting with old friends or new peeps, there is a chuckle-wave when I pull them out. Even I chuckle now.
The other day, I had one hidden in my project bag as I was knitting my sock at the coffee shop. The person next to me kept looking over and finally said "What is that noise?" I was all like, "What noise?" when I knew full-well what she was talking about. Finally, when it was clear she wasn't going to drop it, I fessed up and explained about row counting and knitting and keeping track of rows, and again there was the chuckling.
I guess it's sort of how people think it's amusing that I date my water bottles so I don't accidentally pick up a FIVE DAY OLD bottle of unfinished water (what?).
I must say, however, that the main reason I love these counters in particular, is because they make me feel like I'm playing speed chess in the park. Or, timed Scrabble with one of those cool stop clocks. I LOVE, love, LOVE punching the counter after a row! It's BAM! -- another row under my belt! BAM! -- almost done with the shoulder shaping! BAM! -- (I just like the way it sounds when I punch it...hehe).
I also use them when casting on. Every ten stitches, I punch. :-)
What can I say? I'm a freak! My OCD tendencies just come flying out in my knitting process, giving weight to the addage that "You knit how you are."
So, what do you guys do? Counters? No counters? Ticks?
And, for the love of [insert higher power identifier here], does anyone, ANYONE label them?
Ok. I'm done.
----
And just so you know, I have been swatching with stash yarn.
I'm determined to find a use for the unbelievably soft, yet wholly unworkable laceweight Misti Alpaca in my stash. I tried knitting it up into a nice lace wrap and, well, let's just say that lace and I do not get along. YET.
But, I'm liking how it looks and feels combined with other yarns and am swatching to see if any brilliant ideas strike for a mitten pattern, or possibly some ultra soft house socks.
Cool Cagoule's front is about an hour from being finished and the Brightest Blue Sock Ever's second sock is half-way through. Pics to come tomorrow, for a week's end wrap-up.
Have a nice day.
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9 comments:
ooh ooh! First off, I love how the alpaca looks held with the other strand of yarn... very eau naturale... or something. Anyhoo, I like it!
As far as row counting goes, I don't count rows usually on my socks... oh, the horror, right? But with sweaters, it's a must. I currently use the little barrel ones because they are on the needle, otherwise I'd never remember to turn it and would probably lose it... or my son would swipe it.
I think your labelling idea is a great idea.
think that if you use row counters it's a great idea. I, for one, never got the hang of them, and constantly forgot if I flipped the next row. I just got good at counting my rows and keeping track that way.
Those row counters are great -- where are they sold? I'd love to pick some up. I use row counters too, but the kind on the end of the needle, which sometime click back (thus defeating the purpose of even using them!)
And, it's not retentive, it's attention-to-detail!!
Lady, where do I start?
This idea of keeping track of rows, even if the pattern says something like "knit even until 8" from cast-on" is completely familiar to me. I also, for the love of a higher power, cannot count rows after they're knitted - do you count the loop on the needle, the little V coming out of the cast-on, etc.? I keep a row count for every project (pretty much), although I either tick on the pattern or use the little barrel thing... the click-click of the ones you use would annoy me, I think, plus they're more expensive. Since the barrel ones fit on the needles, I don't have to label them. If they didn't fit on the needle, yes, I would label them.
The water dating: no comment.
I don't think its that silly! Better to count, the to have to frog the whole thing like I have on numerous occassions...
So, all in all, I think you are totally normal (though this is coming from another obsessive knitter, so my view might be a bit skewed!) :)
Love the swatch and can't wait to see socks! My blue socks are, grr, not
I SO support what you're doing. It's logical, sensible, intelligent... and I just can't manage it (does that mean I'm none of the above?). I rarely use markers, even for lace, -- they're upstairs, I'm downstairs, oh well, I'll do without. For rows, I just count periodically. Keeps me on my toes. I can understand the thrill of the click though.
Love that alpaca held together. When I first looked at the pic I thought it was a yarn made like that. Good stash reduction plan.
oooo... I love the combo of fibers.
LOL... if I didn't already have things that worked well for me, I would SO be doing what you are. I can see myself having row counters for each project, and having to find a solution to avoid mixing them up. I personally think it's brilliant.
What I do depends a lot on the project I'm working on. If it's just do such and such every x rows, then I do tick marks in my PDA.
If each row is a little different, and I have to keep track of what to do on each row as well as which row I'm on, then I'll use a mini sticky note, and just move it to line up with the top of the instructions for the next row after I finish a row (I keep my patterns in plastic sleeves, which makes this easier). If I repeat the set of instructions over and over again, I'll make tick marks on the sticky note after each pattern repeat.
I waste a lot of time counting and recounting rows on the needle. But, there's really no alternative. If I had to keep track of another smallish object it would be disastrous. Let's just say, I'm locked out of my house today because I tempted the gods by moving my house keys, and they've vanished. Clearly, I'm not qualified to own row counters.
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