How to Use an Abacus Row Counter

I’ve been making some of these great Abacus Row Counter.  It took me some time to figure out how to work these fun and beautiful counters.  Most counters are bracelets, but if you can get a counter with an lobster claw you can clip it to your knitting bag or belt loop or whatever. These row counters will count up to 99 rows.

Here is the break down

Starting out all of the beads will be on the same side as the small bead. As you count rows you will move beads from the side with the small bead to the side with the big bead.

Start using the small beads for single rows. (If you have two different color of beads, pick which bead you would like for the single rows and which color for the 10 row beads.) When you complete each row move one of the small beads from one side of the charm to the other.  In the photo below 4 rows have been worked.

Continue working until you have worked 9 rows.

On the tenth row move all 9 small beads back and move 1 large bead (representing 10 rows) forward.

Then continue moving the small beads over as rows are worked. In the picture below 12 rows have been worked.

Continue until you have used all of the big beads and small beads which will be 99 rows.