Stuck at the Intersection of Math Geek and Knitting Geek

[gnomi]

As I was working on my current travel-project-sock this evening on my commute home, I figured out what I want in my knitting tool kit: a binary row counter.

Actually, I lie. I want a row counter for which you can tell it in which base you want it to count. Working on an 8-row repeat? No problem. Twenty-three rows? Again, no problem.

If such a thing existed, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

Comments

[winterknight.livejournal.com]

Hm. A digital object, slide-rule style, what? I bet someone could make one...

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Traditionally, they look something like this (http://knitting.va.com.au/wordpress/content/row_counter.jpg). Something like an itty-bitty abacus might do the trick, but I don't know.

[winterknight.livejournal.com]

Would a bracelet-type thing work? I would have to do the math for it... but... I wonder if a rosary-bracelet sort of thing could do the trick. Or a little grid you could wear on a watch band.

I like to think about things I will never truly grasp. It keeps me humble.

[fauxklore]

What about the sort that look like miniature cribbage boards? I think you could make one adjustable in a way that would work.

I admit to using paper and pencil myself.

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

You don't need to buy one. You can make it. I know because I have *two* of them - one for socks and one for sweaters, and I made them both. All you need are appropriate-sized ring stitch markers in two contrasting colors and jump-rings.

Since most of my socks are base 8, my row counter for socks is in base 8. I took two small black rubber markers and two small white ones and four brass jump-rings of about the same size. I used the brass rings to connect the rubber ones in alternating colors, with a brass ring at the end.

I put the top (rubber) ring on the needle just before finishing my first row. In every subsequent row, I stick my working needle into the next ring. When it's in the final brass ring, I've completed 8 rows. Then you simply insert your needle into the first ring again on the next row.

I find this especially useful for heel flaps, because I count each purl row knit row repeat as one. I change rings at the end of the knit row.

The other one works on a similar system, but uses larger ring markers. Since the jump rings would be too small for the larger needles, I just use them as connectors. I made a chain of ten alternating blue and pink rings, with a brass ring on the tenth to show the end.

I chose ten as a convenient length *but* it doesn't have to be ten. It can be less than ten if that's what your row repeat is - just put a split ring or safety pin the ring you want to be last. Or, if it's a four row repeat, put markers (in contrasting colors) in the fourth and eighth ring.

I haven't used it for prime number repeats over ten, but I can think of a number of ways it could be adapted.

I'm going to look for our camera and take pictures.

I hope this works.

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

Here's a thumbnail of the sock chain. The scissors is there for size reference.

I couldn't find my big chain (which is annoying) but the principle is the same.

Re: I hope this works.

[introverte.livejournal.com]

that's brilliant!

Re: I hope this works.

[byrne.livejournal.com]

ohhhhhhh

now I need to find a reason to count rows. I usually have patterns that call for measuring. LOL

Re: I hope this works.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's spiffy!

Thanks! I somehow *knew* that someone on my friends list would have this knowledge; I should've expected it to be you. :-)

::hugs::

Re: I hope this works.

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

I'm not going to take full credit - I wrote about my "invention" of the chain here in my lj, with references to the original Ravelry post and the Etsy shop with a far prettier version.

[sydmcginley.livejournal.com]

thinks you need a babbage machine

[ayoub.livejournal.com]

That would be awesome! :D