How to Count Stitches in Crochet

Why stitch counts drift

Crochet is forgiving, but stitch counts drift easily. Skip the last stitch of a row, or work twice into the first, and the next row has one stitch fewer or more. After a few rows, straight edges start to slope, or the piece narrows or flares.

The Craft Yarn Council's guide to reading crochet patterns gives the fix plainly: count the stitches at the end of every row. Many patterns help by printing the count at the end of a row, written as "(14 sc)" or ": 14 sc". The same guide warns not to mistake these counts for instructions.

Find the V

Lion Brand explains that each crochet stitch has two loops on top. Seen from above, the two loops form a sideways V lying along the row. That V is what you count, and it looks the same whether the stitch is a single, half double or double crochet.

Stitch and Story's method:

1. Tilt the work so the Vs along the top of the last row are easy to see.
2. Start at the stitch next to your hook and count each V to the end of the row.
3. Leave out the loop on the hook. It is your working loop, not a stitch.
4. Look closely at the last stitch. It is often the hardest to see, so tilt the work again if you need to.

Stitch and Story also suggests counting before you make the next turning chain, so you do not count it by mistake.

Counting by the post

For tall stitches, the posts can be easier to see than the tops. Sigoni Macaroni suggests counting double and treble crochet by their posts, and single and half double crochet by the V on top. Use whichever is clearer in your yarn.

Row Counter: Knit & Crochet

Counts rows and stitches for knitting and crochet projects, with linked counters and per-row notes.

Get it on Google Play

Row Counter lets you keep more than one counter on a project. You could use one for rows and another for stitches in a long row, or set a target on a counter so you can see when you have reached the stitch count the pattern asks for.

Does the turning chain count?

This question causes more wrong counts than any other, and the answer depends on the stitch and the pattern.

The Craft Yarn Council's guide says that in single crochet the turning chain does not count as a stitch, and on all stitches taller than single crochet it is counted as the first stitch of the row. Lion Brand's glossary says the same. For single crochet, you work the first stitch into the first stitch of the row below and you do not work into the turning chain on the next row. For taller stitches, the turning chain stands in for the first stitch, so you skip the first stitch below and, at the end of the next row, work into the top of the turning chain.

Not every designer follows this. Sigoni Macaroni notes that half double crochet in particular is handled differently by different designers, and that the pattern should be followed when it says what to do. The rule of thumb:

• If the pattern says the turning chain counts, count it as the first stitch.
• If the pattern says it does not, leave it out.
• If the pattern says nothing, use the standard rule above and be consistent.

When the turning chain counts, put a stitch marker in its top chain. At the end of the next row you will know exactly where the last stitch goes.

Counting a foundation chain

Long chains are where counts go wrong first, and a mistake here carries into every row.

Lion Brand says not to count the slip knot or the loop on your hook. Stitch and Story counts the Vs on the front of the chain, starting from the hook and working outward, one V per chain.

To make it easier:

• Keep the chain untwisted, with the front facing you, so the Vs line up.
• For a long chain, place a stitch marker every 10 chains or so. Then you only recount a short section if you lose your place.

Counting stitches in the round

Stitch and Story's method for rounds:

1. Find the Vs along the outer edge of the last round.
2. Count them all the way around, leaving out the loop on the hook.
3. Skip the stitch you joined into, because it belongs to the previous round.

For spirals such as amigurumi, there is no join to show where a round starts. Put a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round and move it up as you go. Sigoni Macaroni adds that in joined rounds the turning chain at the start usually counts as a stitch, except for single crochet.

When the count is wrong

• One stitch short. Check the last stitch of the row. Missing the stitch into the turning chain, or into the last stitch, is the usual cause.
• One stitch over. Check the first stitch. Working into the base of the turning chain when it counts as a stitch adds one.
• Way off. Look for a spot where you worked two stitches into one by accident, or skipped one. A marker every 10 stitches makes this quicker to find.

Pull back to the row where the count was last right and work it again. Counting every row costs a few seconds. Finding a mistake ten rows later costs much more.

For rows rather than stitches, see how to count crochet rows. For tools that keep the count for you, see what is a row counter.