Keeping track of where I am in patterns

[bigfunfam]

I thought that I would share how I keep track of where I am in more complicated patterns, or patterns that I am planning on making many of.

 

I buy those little dollar brag photo albums from Walmart. And then I print out each row of the pattern on a 4x6 size piece of paper. Then I put the pages in order in the album. I can make the print bigger and I just turn to the page with the row that I'm on and mark that page with a paper clip.

 

It makes it much easier to keep track when I have many interruptions.

[mamaoso]

That's good, too.

When I print out my pattern or chart I put them in Sheet protectors and then use Highlighter tape. Then I can remove the tape as I work..

[JoBug]

GREAT idea! I too use sheet protectors, and put them in a binder, and use post it notes, the thin ones to keep tract of where I am. I love your idea, especialy for doilies, when I need the bigger print, thanks for sharing!

[mamabear10]

That's good, too.

When I print out my pattern or chart I put them in Sheet protectors and then use Highlighter tape. Then I can remove the tape as I work..

 

You could also you dry erase or Vis-a-Vis markers to mark through the completed row. I've also heard of using grease pencils on the sheet protectors. Rubbing alcohol is used to remove that. For patterns that aren't written out in row form, I'm using tally marks to keep track of rows I have trouble counting.

[crazycrochet]

I make a copy of the pattern, (for my own use). That way I can write all over it, make notes, corrections if any and still have the original pattern intact. That way I can cross out the row when I am done, or if the pattern reads rows 4-10 repeat row 3, I write the numbers 4 thru 10 on the pattern and cross them out as I go.

[kittyloverdeb]

All of these are wonderful suggestions! I especially like the brag book one...I can't tell you how much time I spend trying to figure out what row I'm on! I have a couple big projects coming up that I want to do so I think I may give this idea a try ~ THANKS!

[YarnMover]

I make a copy of the pattern, (for my own use). That way I can write all over it, make notes, corrections if any and still have the original pattern intact. That way I can cross out the row when I am done, or if the pattern reads rows 4-10 repeat row 3, I write the numbers 4 thru 10 on the pattern and cross them out as I go.

 

 

This is what I do. Then I keep it with the orginial pattern so if I make it again, I can review the notes and don't have to try to jog my memory to what I did the last time. (especially since quite a few patterns have mistakes in them or write differently than the norm) Then if I make it again, I again make a copy of the pattern (for me) so I can jot notes or mark off rows again.

[rshseaeagle]

I use the sheet protectors and then use a small post it to mark what row I am on when working on a big project, that with my susan bates row counter (the peg style) works best for me. I also use the small post it's to mark where I am in a particularly complicated pattern that I can get lost in.

 

I love the brag book idea for my MIL who's eyesight is not good. I enlarge all the patterns for her so she can see them easier but that would be really good for the bigger stuff.

 

Thanks for the wonderful ideas,

TLOL,

Toni

[bigfunfam]

Wonderful ideas! I really like the sheet protector idea. I've never seen highlighter tape though, I'll have to look into that. Post-its would get re-arranged by my younger "helpers" lol, so that idea has to wait until they are all old enough that it isn't any fun, lol.

 

I do also print out and write on the pattern, but for something I'm making multiples of it gets a little sloppy, lol.

 

I make tally marks on my patterns for the patterns that say something like "rows 3-9". I had a stitch counter, but clicking it also proved irristible for my helpers lol.

[Elle]

My printer is one of those four-in-one printers, it's also a scanner, a fax and a copier. So I make a copy of the pattern I'm going to do, and then I break out my trusty yellow highligher, and as I complete a row or a round, I color the text with my highlighter. When the whole pattern has been highlighted, I'm done! I throw away my "worksheet" and my original pattern is as good as new, waiting to be copied again when I make another one.

[Selune]

I just use post-it notes. Easy to move and I can make notes or pattern changes I've made on the post-it.

[bigfunfam]

My printer is one of those four-in-one printers, it's also a scanner, a fax and a copier. So I make a copy of the pattern I'm going to do, and then I break out my trusty yellow highligher, and as I complete a row or a round, I color the text with my highlighter. When the whole pattern has been highlighted, I'm done! I throw away my "worksheet" and my original pattern is as good as new, waiting to be copied again when I make another one.

Great idea! I have one of those machines too. I think I'll do that with my smaller patterns.

[allieliz]

Wow, what a lot of wonderful ideas-- I usually keep notes in a little notebook and use a kacha-kacha, but my little ones like to draw in little notebooks and think clicking the row counter is really fun, so my system breaks down a lot. I will use sheet protectors and overhead projector markers in the future and make "brag books" for my most often used patterns. Thanks ladies

[threadlover]

I make a copy, put it in a sheet protector, slip my magnetic board in and use the magnet strips to keep track of where I am. Works great for me.

 

Marcia

[onfire4Jesus]

I use highlighters too! If I'm working from a book though I use paper clips to mark the row or round that I'm working on. I like the idea of the post a note paper.

[Pharmagurumi]

I just use post-it notes. Easy to move and I can make notes or pattern changes I've made on the post-it.

 

I do that exact same thing.