Don't Get Lost: Keeping Track of Your Pattern Progress

Jill suggests using graphs paper and a pencil for keeping track of your pattern progress. You can use a notebook with graph paper pages and dedicate that notebook to all your fiber arts projects. The graph paper is helpful because not only is it easy to take notes on, it can also be used for sketching and creating charts.

To begin, Jill writes the important information for the pattern on the paper—the name of the project, yarn details, needle and gauge information—and she is sure to note the size she is knitting. Noting the size is especially important because there are times when a project is set aside for a long period of time. By noting the size, you’re sure to be working the correct size for the project when it’s picked back up again.

Jill then explains how she keeps track of rows, pattern repeats, special instructions, and more. She shares that she designates different shapes to mean different things as she’s taking notes. It’s important to note what your own system means so that you’re not confused when you come back to a project.

There isn’t one right way for keeping track of your pattern progress. What is most important is that you find a system that works for you and your knitting.