Nothing is more exciting than purchasing a new pattern…and, of course, new yarn…to spend your weekend crocheting. That excitement can soon turn to frustration when you begin to work up the pattern and discover that you’ve missed some stitches. As you go through the rows you’ve been working on, you cross-check your work against the instructions, only to realize that something isn’t adding up. You take a closer look at the end of each instruction line, hoping to find the number of stitches the designer has listed, but to your dismay, there are no stitch counts mentioned! As a designer, listing stitch counts in your crochet pattern is so important, but there are some exceptions to the rule! In this article, I’ll explain why stitch counts matter and when you should leave them out altogether!

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Stitch counts are necessary when writing crochet patterns. They provide clarity and guidance to your readers as they work up your design. These numbers act as a safety net and help to ensure that the project turns out exactly as intended.

Including stitch counts in your crochet patterns goes beyond simply giving your readers a number. These numbers matter and here’s why:

User Experience:

Do you remember when you first started crocheting and at the end of the row or round, the number of stitches you had in your project matched the number of stitches the designer listed? That feeling of pure joy probably caused you to do a crochet happy dance! I still do a happy dance when my stitch counts match, and I’ve been crocheting for 30 years!

You want your readers to have that same feeling when working up your pattern. Adding a stitch count at the end of each line of instruction can have a significant impact on your reader’s experience. By adding these numbers, you’re giving them a roadmap to complete their project successfully. They will know exactly how many stitches they should have completed at the end of each line, making it easy to track their progress as they go. And knowing they are on the right track helps them to gain confidence as they crochet. (and being able to do many happy dances throughout your project!)

Reference Guide:

Think of stitch counts as checkpoints throughout your pattern. Your reader has just completed the first task (first line of instruction) and is going to check in by making sure their stitch count is correct. If not, they can go back and fix the mistake right away. When their stitch count is correct, the reader can then proceed with confidence to the next task (line two). If these numbers are missing from your pattern, there will be no way for your reader to make sure they’re on the right track.

Customization:

Experienced crocheters often find it helpful to have detailed stitch counts provided in a pattern. This allows them to customize the pattern according to their needs. By adjusting the stitch count, they can make the pattern bigger or smaller where needed. This is especially helpful for designs that are wearables. All of us have unique body measurements that do not fit into ‘standard’ sizes. For instance, if you were to create a sweater pattern for me, I would usually require a large size. I prefer my tops to be a little loose and the sleeves on standard sizes are usually too tight for my arms. Because I work out and have a slightly thicker bicep due to genetics, I need to customize the stitch count for the arms. This allows me to adjust the increases and decreases to fit my guns the way I want them!!  It may surprise you, but customizing a pattern is a common practice among experienced crocheters.

Building Trust:

It is important to be thorough when writing your patterns if you want to build trust with your readers. Providing detailed stitch counts shows that you have put in the effort to produce an excellent pattern, especially if it has been tech-edited. Your tech editor can make sure your lines of instructions and stitch counts match and are error-free! Having a well-written pattern gives your reader a great experience. This builds trust that ALL your future patterns will be just as great and they’ll keep coming back for more. Not only that, but they’ll recommend your patterns to their friends, which will help grow your audience!

How to Include Stitch Counts Effectively:

• • Breakdown by Row/Round: Make sure to include the stitch count for each row or round, especially for rows with increases or decreases.
  • Totals at Key Points: Consider adding stitch count totals at the end of sections or after stitch pattern repeats. This provides an additional checkpoint for crocheters.
  • Separate Notes for Beginners: For more complex patterns, consider including a separate section with stitch count summaries for each piece or motif.

Tips from a Tech Editor:

• • • If your stitch count remains the same in consecutive rows or rounds, omit the stitch count in subsequent instructions.
    • You know your audience. If they prefer having a stitch count at the end of each line of instruction, even though the stitch count doesn’t change, then write your pattern accordingly!
    • It’s always good to be as detailed as possible with your stitch counts. This is especially important when you’re working on a stitch pattern that uses multiple different stitches. To make things easier, I’d suggest that you list all the stitches used when listing stitch count. For example: (12 sc, 32 dc, 16 ch-3 sp)
    • List your stitches in the order they are worked in your pattern. If you have line of instruction that looks like: hdc 5, [dc, ch2] rep to last 5 sts, hdc 5, turn. Then your stitch count should look like this: (10 hdc, 25 dc, 25 ch-2 sp)
    • Have your patterns professionally edited to ensure that all your lines of instruction and stitch counts match and are error-free!

Are you ready to have me check your stitch counts against your lines of instructions? Fill out my CONTACT FORM and I’ll be in touch!

Other Helpful Articles:

HOW TO WRITE REPEATS USING [BRACKETS], {BRACES}, & (PARENTHESIS)

HOW DO I FIND RELIABLE PATTERN TESTERS?

HOW TO PROPERLY USE ASTERISKS WHEN WRITING REPEATS