[Nfb-krafters-korner] Loom knit class

[Annette Carr]

When doing crafts at home and you need to count something like rows, use
what you have around the house.  Find 2 small containers that are tactually
different.  Maybe a square and a circle, tall and short, plastic and glass,
smooth and textured, etc.  If you need to count multiples of 8 rows, find 8
small objects that will easily fit into the containers.  For example,
pennies or other coins, beads, dried beans or pasta, the glass stones you
put in the bottom of a vase to give it weight and/or decorative touch, small
stones from your yard, screws, nails, washers, nuts etc. from the home
workshop, or any other small objects that you can gather.  Two envelopes of
different sizes or with a braille or print label, and paper clips can do the
job as well.  

Identify which container will be your "starting" container, and which will
be your ending container.  Put all of your objects into the "Starting"
container.  Every time you start a new row, move one object from the
"starter" container to the "finished" container.  If you get interrupted in
the middle of a row, or you stop working after you finished a row, when you
are ready to start working again, count the objects in the "finished"
container.  This will tell you which row you are in the middle of, or which
row you just completed.  This set up can also be used for counting how many
times you repeated a pattern across the row.  Depending on what you are
working on, you can set up 2 counting systems, 1 for counting the rows, and
1 for counting the repeats across a row.  

Another idea is to get yourself a stack of index cards and a binder ring.
Number each card in sequence with a braille or print number.  So if you need
to count 8 rows, you will need 8 cards.  The cards will be numbered in
sequence from 1-8.  Punch a hole in 1 corner of each card, the same corner
of each card.  Be sure that the cards are stacked in sequence with 1 on top,
and the largest number on the bottom.  Open your binder ring and place the
stack of cards on the ring.  Close up the binder ring, and use a rubber band
or paper clip to hold the stack of cards.  When you start the next row,
remove the rubber band or paper clip and rotate the top card to the back of
the stack and replace the rubber band or paper clip.  

While we are on the topic of index cards, you could braille or print each
row of a pattern in an index card.  Then use the above method to keep track
of which row you are working on.

There also way to use the various note taking devices, and even iPhone apps
for counting.

I have 2 preferred counting methods, my traditional abacus that I have had
since 2nd grade and an abacus bracelet.  The abacus can be a problem when
knitting on the go.  While in my bag, beads have gotten moved, and then
there are those nosy people who are fascinated by the abacus, and just have
to touch it and move beads without asking you first.  

HTH,
Annette

-----Original Message-----
From: Nfb-krafters-korner [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Courtney Fulghum Smith via Nfb-krafters-korner
Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2016 10:05 PM
To: List for blind crafters and artists
Cc: Courtney Fulghum Smith
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Loom knit class

>
> A typical row counter is something that you click each time you finish 
> knitting or crocheting. I use an abacus that is about the size of a 
> 3x5 index card.  Some people use dried beans, coins or beads. It's 
> whatever works for you. Please, please, please do not feel you have to 
> buy a row counter for this class. Use something you already have such 
> as what is listed above.  Another example is safety pins.


Feel free to email me off list if you would like.

Courtney
cmfulghum at gmail.com
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