How to keep track of rows in a PDF knitting pattern

November 13, 2026

Losing your place means ripping back rows. Here are the common ways knitters and crocheters keep their place in a PDF pattern, and where each one breaks.

1. Sticky notes and a pencil

Cheap and familiar, but a printed copy goes out of date, tally marks get messy, and a sticky note slides off the page in your bag.

2. A clicker counter

A clicker counts rows, but it does not know where you are on the page, and it does not track repeats. You still have to match the number to the right line.

3. Highlighting in a PDF reader

Marking up the PDF works until the page scrolls, zooms or reflows. Erasing old highlights is fiddly with one hand.

4. A row counter app

Many apps count rows, but some put saving your own PDF behind a trial or a subscription. Check before you import a pattern you paid for.

5. A highlighter linked to the counter

The fastest method is a bar on the pattern that moves with your count. In Row Keeper, one tap adds a row, moves the repeat count and slides the bar to the next line. After the last row of a repeat, the bar jumps back to the first row by itself.

Tips that save rows

1. Count when you finish a row, not when you start it.
2. Set the repeat as soon as you reach it, with the bar on its first row.
3. Use a lifeline before long lace repeats.
4. Keep the screen awake so you can glance at it mid-row.