Patterns are great but I find that a row by row chart is MUCH more helpful. Telling me to repeat rows A-D five times is nice but a chart that tells me how many stitches to increase/decrease in each section (sleeves, back, sleeves) is much clearer and helps me make sure that I have the correct number of stitches. Plus it helps me visualize what is going on, where the increases/decreases are.
I have been spoiled. I usually knit projects as part of a class or with a friend. Usually one of my friends creates a chart to track the number of stitches in each section and/or row. Then gives me a copy of her chart. This time I’m on my own so I had to create the chart.
I would normally generate it on an excel spreadsheet but we don’t have a printer with us here in Florida. So I bought a cheap composition book and created a chart. Much better than counting how many times I’ve repeated a set of rows. I really appreciate that the pattern I used for my advent sweater came with this type of row by row count chart for each size. This pattern obviously didn’t. But on the other hand, I guess it was good for my visualization to generate a chart for the size I am knitting.
Maybe some day I’ll find an easy way to generate row by row charts, but for now it’s pencil and paper (or maybe excel😁).
Knitting Is So Fun 
I chart all my sweaters in Excel!! And sometimes shawls if they’re complicated 🙂
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I’m a fairly new knitter so I’m just starting the journey of knitting patterns on my own. I’m sure I’ll be charting a lot more now that I’m moving on from taking classes. I’ve enjoyed the social aspect of classes but I’m feeling confident to knit patterns on my own, or with just a little help from my friends.😁
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Yes definitely! A lot of patterns already have charts in them which is helpful 🙂
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