How to count rows in knitting, and keep count while you knit
Count rows in stockinette, garter and ribbing by reading the fabric, then keep count with a counter, markers or a lifeline so you never guess again.
The Yarnstep blog
Plain answers about crochet and knitting patterns: what the abbreviations mean, how to read sizes and repeats, and how to keep your place.
How to read pattern repeats: asterisks, brackets and "rep rows"
A plain guide to repeats in knitting and crochet patterns: what * to * means, nested brackets, "rep from * to last 2 sts" and repeating whole rows.
How to read size brackets in knitting and crochet patterns
What "cast on 88 (96, 104, 112) sts" means, how to find your size in a pattern, and three habits that stop you knitting the wrong number.
Knitting abbreviations explained: k2tog, ssk, m1 and the rest
What the common knitting abbreviations mean, which way each decrease leans, and the few words that change between US and UK patterns.
Crochet abbreviations for beginners: the 25 you will meet first
The crochet abbreviations that turn up in almost every pattern, what each one asks your hook to do, and the symbols that sit around them.
US vs UK crochet terms: the one-step shift explained
Why a UK double crochet is a US single crochet, how to tell which terms a pattern uses, and a conversion chart you can keep next to your hook.