Knitting and crochet are relaxing until counting becomes the part that causes stress. I have lost rows while answering a message, forgotten whether a repeat was completed, and discovered too late that a pattern page had folded itself into an awkward place. My Row Counter: Knit & Crochet, made by Annapurnapp Technologies GmbH, is designed around that exact problem. It is a free lifestyle app for Android and iOS that turns row tracking into a more organized part of a project rather than something I have to keep in my head.
After spending time with it, I see it as more than a digital tally. The useful combination is the counter, pattern handling, timer, highlighting, and connection with Ravelry-related workflows. Those tools do not replace the tactile pleasure of yarn, but they can reduce the small interruptions that make a long project difficult to follow. The app has an average rating of 4.8 from around 15K ratings, and its popularity makes sense once the workflow clicks.
How My Row Counter feels to use in real projects
Readability and navigation when the pattern gets busy
The first thing I noticed is that the app is built around a focused project view rather than a general notebook. I can set up a project, keep its counting activity in one place, and return to the same work without rebuilding the context every time. That matters when I have several unfinished pieces competing for attention. A counter that is technically simple becomes much more useful when I can tell which project it belongs to at a glance.
The main counter is easy to understand because its purpose is direct: I advance it as I complete rows. That sounds obvious, but a good row counter needs to stay out of the way of the craft itself. I do not want to navigate through several screens after every row. The app’s value comes from keeping the current action prominent while placing supporting tools nearby rather than forcing me to manage them separately.
Pattern import is one of the features that makes this more capable than a basic tally app. Instead of switching constantly between a browser, a saved document, and a counter, I can bring the pattern into the same project workflow. For a pattern with many sections, this reduces the mental load of remembering where the instructions are. It also gives me a better chance of keeping the counter and the written instructions connected to the same piece of work.
The highlighter is particularly helpful when I am following a long written pattern. I can use it to keep my place in the instructions instead of relying on a scrap of paper or trying to remember the last line I read. This is not just a convenience. It changes the task from “read, memorize, stitch” to “read, mark, stitch,” which is a more forgiving process when I am tired or interrupted.
I would still recommend spending a few minutes arranging a new project before starting a complicated section. Importing or organizing a pattern is a setup task, and it is better done when I am not already trying to hold yarn, hook, or needles. Once the project is prepared, the benefit is much greater because the counter and instructions are available together.
The interface is most comfortable for someone who already understands the basic language of rows, rounds, repeats, and pattern sections. It is not a knitting or crochet course. A beginner can use it, but the app will not explain why a row count is wrong or teach the difference between a stitch abbreviation and a construction instruction. I see it as a companion for learning and making, not a substitute for learning the craft.
Motor and sensory considerations during hands-on work
Crafting creates a special interaction problem: both hands may already be occupied. That means the best digital tool is not necessarily the one with the most options; it is the one that lets me update progress with minimal interruption. A row counter is useful precisely because it can replace mental bookkeeping, but I still need a practical way to register progress without repeatedly putting the project down.
In my experience, the app works best when I decide in advance how I will count. For example, I might update after completing a row, after finishing a repeat, or during a natural pause when changing yarn. Choosing one consistent moment is more reliable than tapping whenever I happen to remember. This is a small habit, but it prevents the counter from becoming another source of uncertainty.
People with limited dexterity may appreciate the reduced need to handle paper notes, but the app does not remove every physical demand. I still need to interact with a touchscreen, and the practical ease of doing that depends on the device, the project, and the user’s preferred method of control. Someone who finds precise tapping difficult should test the counter during a real project rather than judging it from a quick setup session.
The timer adds another useful layer for people who want to understand how long a project takes or prefer timed work sessions. I can use it to separate a short evening session from the total life of the project, which is helpful when estimating whether I have enough energy for “just one more section.” It can also make practice more deliberate, although I would not treat the timer as a productivity requirement. Crafting is not improved automatically by turning it into a race.
For sensory comfort, the app can be less demanding than moving among several physical notes, printed pages, and a separate clock. Keeping related information in one place may reduce visual clutter. On the other hand, a digital screen can introduce its own distraction, especially if I am working in a dim room or already sensitive to notifications and bright displays. The app helps consolidate information, but it cannot make every screen comfortable for every person.
The highlighter is valuable for attention as well as navigation. When a pattern contains repeated lines or similar-looking instructions, marking the active place gives me a visual anchor. I find that especially useful after an interruption. Rather than rereading the whole section, I can return to the marked position and reconstruct what I was doing. That is one of the app’s strongest inclusive qualities: it supports memory without assuming that every user can retain a long sequence of instructions.
Situational access at home, outdoors, and between interruptions
My most realistic use case is an evening project that stays on the sofa. I begin with the imported pattern, start the counter, and use the highlighter to keep my position in a section. If I stop to make tea or answer the door, I have a much better chance of returning correctly. Without that structure, I would often place a loose marker somewhere in the pattern and still wonder whether it represented the beginning or end of a row.
The same workflow helps when a project moves between locations. A paper pattern can work perfectly at a table, but it is less convenient when I am carrying only a small project bag. Having the pattern and progress record associated with the project means I am less dependent on remembering which page I used or where I left a pencil mark. That is especially useful for small crochet projects that are worked in short bursts rather than in one long sitting.
Ravelry-related support is another reason experienced makers may prefer this over a plain counter. People who already organize patterns through Ravelry can benefit from keeping that part of their planning closer to the counting process. The advantage is not that the app magically makes every pattern compatible with every workflow; the advantage is that it recognizes how many crafters already discover, save, and revisit patterns digitally.
There is also a useful distinction between row counting and repeat counting. I would not use a single number to represent everything in a complex design. A project may need a row total, a repeat position, and a note about a shaping change. The app is strongest when I treat it as the central progress tool while still recording important project-specific instructions clearly. That prevents the common mistake of assuming that a row number alone describes the entire state of the work.
For someone who works in shared spaces, the app can reduce the need to spread papers across a table. That may matter to a parent working near children, a commuter using a small amount of space, or anyone whose project has to be packed away quickly. The benefit is organizational rather than magical: fewer separate objects can mean a simpler restart, provided the project was set up carefully.
Where the app still creates friction
The biggest limitation is that digital organization still requires accurate setup. If I import the wrong pattern, place the marker incorrectly, or tap the counter at the wrong moment, the app will preserve my mistake neatly. That can create false confidence. I have learned to verify the first few rows against the physical work rather than assuming that a clean digital display means the project is correct.
Pattern import is helpful, but imported instructions may not feel as natural as a printed pattern. Some makers prefer to annotate freely, spread several pages across a table, or see a full chart without scrolling. For those users, the app may be a supplement rather than a replacement. I would keep a paper copy or another reference method for patterns where visual layout is central to understanding the design.
The app’s many tools can also feel like too much for a very small project. If I am making a simple scarf with a repeating stitch and only need to know the current row, a basic counter may be faster to open and easier to understand. My Row Counter earns its place when I need multiple layers of organization, not merely because it can display a number.
The free price makes it easy to try, but in-app purchases range from $0.99 to $14.99 per item. I would start with the core workflow and decide whether the additional options genuinely solve a problem in my projects. The right question is not whether every available feature is worth buying; it is whether the app saves enough time and prevents enough mistakes for my own style of crafting.
Another consideration is attention. A phone can hold a pattern, counter, timer, and other distractions in the same place. If I am easily pulled into unrelated apps, the digital convenience may work against me. In that situation, a printed pattern beside a simple physical counter could be a better choice. This app supports focused work only when I use the device as a craft tool rather than as an invitation to multitask.
People with different visual, motor, or cognitive needs should also approach it as a personal fit rather than assume that one interface suits everyone. The highlighter and consolidated project view can support memory and orientation, but they do not guarantee ideal readability or effortless control for every user. I would test the app with the actual device, lighting, yarn, and pattern style I expect to use.
Who will get the most from it?
I recommend it most strongly to knitters and crocheters who regularly pause projects, work on several pieces, or follow patterns with many sections. It is also a good match for anyone who has tried paper tally marks and repeatedly lost track of which mark was current. The combination of counter, timer, imported pattern, and highlighter gives those users a complete workflow instead of another isolated utility.
It is especially suitable for makers who already work digitally. If my patterns are already stored online or organized through Ravelry, the transition feels more natural than it would for someone who prefers binders and printed pages. The app can become a project dashboard: not a replacement for the craft, but a place to preserve the information that usually disappears when a session ends.
I would suggest caution for someone who wants a completely tactile experience with no screen involved. I would also steer a very casual user toward a simpler counter if all they need is a number. And if a pattern depends heavily on a large chart, extensive handwritten notes, or several pages visible at once, paper may remain the more readable tool. The best choice depends on whether organization or physical simplicity is the bigger priority.
My inclusive verdict after using the full workflow
My Row Counter: Knit & Crochet succeeds because it addresses the interruptions around knitting and crochet, not just the act of counting. The highlighter supports visual orientation, the timer supports intentional sessions, and pattern import keeps instructions closer to progress. Those details can make a meaningful difference for people whose projects are interrupted, whose memory is unreliable under distraction, or who need a more structured way to return to unfinished work.
It is not frictionless for every ability or context. Touch interaction, screen comfort, setup accuracy, and the possibility of digital distraction all remain real considerations. I would not describe it as universally accessible, and I would not replace a preferred paper workflow simply because the app has more features. Its inclusive value comes from flexibility: some users can simplify their process, while others may need to combine it with printed instructions, physical markers, or a different counting method.
For a free lifestyle app with optional in-app purchases, it offers enough depth to justify a serious trial rather than a quick glance. It has been available since January 31, 2018, and has grown to over 1M installs, which fits its role as a practical companion for a large craft community. The Everyone age rating also makes it approachable for households where different generations share patterns and projects.
My final recommendation is simple: try it on a project that is genuinely difficult to track, not on a one-row test. Import a pattern, mark your place, use the counter consistently, and see whether returning after an interruption feels easier. If that workflow removes the exact frustration that keeps making you undo rows, My Row Counter is likely worth keeping. If you only need a tiny tally or prefer a fully offline paper setup, a simpler alternative may serve you better. For me, its strongest feature is not any single tool but the way it gives a half-finished project a reliable memory.
