Counting Rows in Stockinette Stitch

Stockinette stitch is a knitted fabric that’s created by working knit stitches on the right side and purl stitches on the wrong side, when working back in forth in rows. In this video, knitting expert Mary Beth Temple explains how to count rows in stockinette stitch.

From the Right Side

Looking at stockinette stitch from the right side of the fabric, there are smooth “V” shapes, created by the knit stitch. From the cast on edge, Mary Beth counts the “Vs” in a column to determine the number of rows of stockinette stitch that’s been worked. In the video, her swatch has 16 rows.

From the Wrong Side

Stockinette stitch rows can also be counted from the wrong side of the fabric. On the wrong side, there are purl ridges which consist of two parts – a u-shape and an upside-down u-shape (or rainbow). When counting from the wrong side, only one part of the ridge should be counted. Mary Beth counts the upside-down u-shape part of the stitches and counts 16 rows from the wrong side.