It does get easier in time. You will come to see the difference between one row of garter stitch and two rows of garter stitch (it's subtle). For sure, it is much easier to tell when you aren't using something fuzzy. If a pattern says to work so many rows even, you might find it helpful to just make a mark on a piece of paper each time you finish a row until you have that many marks.

When it comes to ripping back, I un-knit stitch by stitch. I know that seasoned knitters (like Linda C) probably just rip back to the error and then pick up their stitches, but I'm too afraid I'll drop stitches.

They sell row counters that I use quite often. One kind slips on the needle and another kind does not. I have also made a grid of how many rows in a pattern, and check it off, or I have copied the pattern, and just make a mark as I do each row in a more elaborate pattern.

If the pattern is written in rows, instead of saying do this then knit this many rows just like it, I use a post it note. Now, how do I explain this? Sticky part of the note at the bottom, knit your first row, then put the note over the row 1 so that row 2, ect, are still visible, so you can see where you are headed. As you knit each row, move the note down the pattern, always keeping what you still have to do visible. Did that make sense?

If it just tells you to do such and such so many rows, if it's easier to type it out so you have that many rows of instructions to mark off, do it. I certainly have!

If Moni is going to your place next weekend, get her to give you some advice, also. She is FAST!!!! Much better knitter than I am.

Tami

I enlarge my copy of the pattern at the copy store, and then I make tick marks, checks, erase, make notes, etc. all over it. By the time I'm done with a project, the sheet looks like a mess! It's just my way!

Also, I have a flat piece of metal (about 8x11) with long skinny magnets. The pattern lays on the metal, and the magnets can be placed just under the row you are working on. This holds the paper on the metal sheet and also keeps your place in the pattern. I think it came from the counted cross stitch supplies.

I often take out stitch by stitch going backwards, but I rip out rows and rows too. I recommend you get a light colored worsted weight and knit a swatch of any size and then practice all these corrective measures. It would be so helpful because correcting when you've put in hours and hours on something is nerve wracking! When you pick up stitches after ripping out your work, it helps to use a skinnier needle. Then knit the next row back onto the regular needles. Make sure the stitches did not get twisted in the pickup process. When you knit that first row after ripping, study each stitch to see it did not get twisted in the pick up process. The side of the knit stitch facing you should be leading slightly towards the point of the needle.

If you lose your place on a row, be sure you know what K stitches and P stitches look like so you can study what you did and hopefully find your place again.

Don't get discouraged; it sounds like you are doing fine, but the fuzzy dark yarn isn't helping you! LOL

Yes, Socks, I bought one of the magnet and metal "board" kits at Michael's after my sister showed me her wonderful find. I use it for marking my place on crocheted filet tablecloth charts. It is great. So much better than the Post-it notes I used to use to mark my place. And I do enlarge the chart at Kinkos for easy reading too.

I thought the magnet would slip around and I would not know where I was in the pattern, but it holds very tight to the board.

I also have a row counter that slips on the needle. Every time i finish a row, I change the counter. That works well, too.

Dances, I use the clickable row counter. The Clover knitting counter at the bottom of the page (it's the red one) on this link.

Zipper
click knit, click knit ;0)

Here is a link that might be useful: knit counter

I think I will have to triple team it.

Write a schematic so I don't get confused by the "repeat rows such to such" directions. I love the idea of a magnet under the row I am doing. That would really help!

And a row counter sounds like a good idea too. I have seen them, but wasn't sure if anybody really used them LOL.

Thanks again!

I use all techniques. Some projects work better with one or the other.

I like the row counters too but I can't seem to find mine so I keep track on a piece of paper. I'll have to look for the magnets. I like that idea.
{{gwi:1409224}}

I track on a piece of paper as well using a lumbermans tally - I have a spiral bound notebook and use it for my patterns.
For example - if a pattern is a repeat of rows, I tally and mark off the rows as I go along. This also helps if I am doing strip afghan work to keep me honest in the length of each strip.

You can mark spots with a safety pin and tie different colored yarn etc. to the pin and make a "guide" for yourself about which color corresponds to which. :)

Also, if the written directions for a particular row are very complex and I tend to get lost within the row, I retype it on the computer, putting each "section" of the row on a different line, indented, so I can see it better, and move my magnet, make my tic marks, etc..
It also helps to use large, bold type font.