Counting Rows

I’ve been thinking about counting rows this week because I think it is something we experienced knitters fail to explain enough. As a result, you see discussions online about whether or not you should count the stitches on the needle or where you should start counting from at the bottom of your work.

I think a lot of this happens because people are counting rows on stocking stitch projects and are attempting to count the Vs on the flat side of their work. This is difficult because you might be counting your cast on as a row and this affects whether you should count the stitches on the needle.

However, if you turn your work over and count the row ridges it is much easier.

If like me you use the cable cast on method, or you use a knit cast on, this is a very straight forward method – simply count the lines of ridges. If you use a long tail cast on, check what the ridge at the bottom of your work looks like after you have cast on. It may be worth popping a removable marker in the cast on ridge, so that later you can count the rows after the cast on.

Even if you are someone who uses a row counter or ticks each row off on paper, it is worth knowing about counting ridges, because sometimes you might forget. Plus there are patterns that ask you to knit to a particular length on the back and then on the front to work to XX rows fewer than the back – you will need to count at that point.

Even if you don't use it often, having a reliable row counting system is a useful addition to your toolbox.

Noise to knit by - podcasts and audiobooks

On my hour-plus each way commute, along with my knitting I listen to my MP3 player . Sometimes music, sometimes audio books and quite a lot of radio podcasts.

The current commuting project is a lacy sweater called Chevron by Kim Hargreaves.

 
As you can see it is a tad fiddly. Yesterday I noticed that I made a lot of progress listening to a BBC debate on attitudes to religion and to a Michael Connolly thriller but made a vast number of mistakes during a science podcast discussing “quantum information theory”.

This got me to thinking about what I listen to when knitting and so a few (mainly UK-based podcasts).

Knitting

The Electric Sheep- really enjoying this London-based podders take on knitting. Each episode features thoughts on a topic (a thought for the week) and reviews of yarns and patterns I really like the detail in her reviews and comments and usually find something useful.

From the US Knit Science - also has a lot of technical detail and thoughts on garment construction

Media

Media Talk from the Guardian - humourous take on the week's media events from the Guardian Media team. I usually learn something interesting even if it is very broadcast focused.

The BBC's Media Show is a bit more serious but contains plenty of interest for those with an interest in UK media.

Science and Tech

The Guardian has two great offerings in this area Science Weekly and Tech Weekly - there are always high level interesting guests and plenty of science and tech news.

Occasionally the BBC broadcasts a series called More or Less which looks at stats and figures in an entertaining, nay funny, but intelligent way. Excellent for the ever-so slightly numerate but pedantic amongst us.

Arts and Literature

Two classics from the BBC, Start the Week and FrontRow - all that's best about intelligent broadcasting from Radio 4.

Film

Last but not least the fabulous, wonderful, unsurpassed Film podcast - Kermode and Mayo's Film reviews. Such a cult it has spin-off facebook pages following stands or jokes from the show.

And thinking about all of these, I wonder if I might need a longer commute...