Row Counter
1900-1950 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This row counter carries the inscription 'The M.P. handy guide for knitting & crochet'. Dedicated knitters used the device to keep track of the pattern they were following. They could record the number of increases or decreases required by sliding the brass knobs to mark specific numbers.
As the name suggests, increasing allows the gradual enlargement of a piece of knitting. Decreasing is the opposite process. The counter incorporates a ruler along the bottom edge as well as a knitting needle gauge. The largest needle size is 6 and 12 is the smallest.
As the name suggests, increasing allows the gradual enlargement of a piece of knitting. Decreasing is the opposite process. The counter incorporates a ruler along the bottom edge as well as a knitting needle gauge. The largest needle size is 6 and 12 is the smallest.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Brass with paper |
| Brief description | Row counter for knitting & crochet, British, 1900-1950, metal and paper |
| Physical description | A rectangular metal sheet with openings in the front revealing instructions written on paper underneath for 'rows', 'increase', 'times' and 'decrease'. There are five rectangular, vertical openings revealing ranges of numbers, with a movable metal glider beside each. On the right hand side are seven round perforations of increasing size with which to measure needle sizes. On the bottom, a inches ruler has been imprinted. Paper instructions were once glued to the back, but now almost all worn away. Metal is possibly brass and folded over on four sides at the back over a backing sheet of metal and sandwiched between is a sheet of paper. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Mass produced |
| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Given by Mrs Joan Green |
| Historical context | A knitting and crochet tool allowing shaping (increasing and decreasing of stitches) or the repetition of a pattern over many rows to be marked and counted. Also includes ruler at one edge to measure progress of knitting or crochet and a gauge for measuring the size of knitting needles. |
| Summary | This row counter carries the inscription 'The M.P. handy guide for knitting & crochet'. Dedicated knitters used the device to keep track of the pattern they were following. They could record the number of increases or decreases required by sliding the brass knobs to mark specific numbers. As the name suggests, increasing allows the gradual enlargement of a piece of knitting. Decreasing is the opposite process. The counter incorporates a ruler along the bottom edge as well as a knitting needle gauge. The largest needle size is 6 and 12 is the smallest. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.34-1999 |
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| Record created | March 24, 1999 |
| Record URL |
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