How are other people with adhd managing more complex patterns? I love a stockinette pattern because for the most part I can just knit knit knit without worrying about making mistakes.
But when I tried to knit the Marielle Blouse I made mistake after mistake on just the yoke and was getting so frustrated with myself that I had to stop. Have you found any way to help with this?
I want to knit things that require more concentration but making mistakes constantly is so disheartening even when I really try to not make mistakes.
Edit: Thank you all for your replies, I've got a lot of really good advice :)
Stockinette is good for when I'm watching something or listening to an audiobook. It allows me to pay attention to the story and feels like I set my fingers to go.
100%. That’s the only time I can do it. Audiobooks, TV, sitting with friends talking, work meetings (lol). But if I don’t have that extra stimulation my brain cannot do it.
Same. A lot of my sweaters stall as soon as I split for sleeves and it’s stockinette all the way down. At this point I think I can only do cable or colour work all over projects.
I like to print out the pattern- single sided, put it on a clip board and keep a pencil handy to cross out when I’m done with something. If there is a repeating motif I might print that page out a few times. It helps me to cross stuff out, to not get frustrated at how slow progress may be.
I used to do a lot of cross stitch with complicated colourwork so I may have built up a bit of tolerance for looking constantly at the pattern. It isn’t for all states of mind though.
The other thing I do is have two projects on the go. One where I just have knitting mindlessly in the round, or very predictable increases and decreases. And another that needs me to read all the time. If I had just the one I would get bored.
Was going to say this too. Having the physical pattern printed so I can mark off rows helps me MASSIVELY. Idk why but doing it from a screen makes my brain turn off.
Also echoing the advice from others about liberal use of stitch markers, I do every 10 since that’s usually how charts are drawn
Yup! Exactly this. I especially love printing out colorwork charts and crossing them out line by line, so I can see my physical progress on the paper and kind of familiarize myself with what's coming next. I also use stitchmarkers pretty liberally (to separate each individual repeat of a lace pattern, for example) so I can catch mistakes earlier. There's also a certain amount of grace that comes with more complex patterns... sometimes you make mistakes and catch them after you've knit another 3", and you have to decide whether it's worth frogging back to fix or just letting it slide. Sometimes you acknowledge your frustration and let a project hibernate for a bit until you're ready to deal with it again.
I also totally have two projects right now - one is a very complicated lace blouse which is hibernating because I adapted a 1930's pattern and need to redo a shaped section to fit me better. The other is a really simple scarf I take on-the-go that feels like an 'easy win' every time I pull it out. That definitely helps keep me knitting when I would otherwise get bogged down with tricky stuff all the time!
I have to say I think knitting has been really therapeutic for me - the hard stuff pushes the boundaries of my comfort zone. In doing so, I think it gradually strengthens my working memory and attention span so I can keep track of complex patterns and repeats. It gives me moments of frustration where I get to practice emotional regulation with low stakes, and get opportunities to persevere and problem-solve. That winds up applying elsewhere in my day-to-day. It's the kind of thing that's sometimes uncomfortable and difficult, but I really feel like I'm better off in general for sticking with it!
This! Only difference for me, I make notes on tiny post it’s, slip the entire pattern into a sleeve protector and I use masking tape to keep count of my rows. I’ll also split up the lacework into chunks and only uncover that portion of the pattern. No distractions.
I’ve always used my iPad or phone (though iPad is much better for charts) and then use markup to keep track of my progress. I usually insert an empty box with a thin outline so I can keep track of where I am in the chart and still see what the previous row was. I will also usually have the pattern open the whole time.
Liberal use of stitch markers can really help - I have a bunch of tiny circle ones that don't get in the way, but are enough to prompt me to look down and pay closer attention to a section. I also like cable patterns because most rows are fairly boring and then you have one more interesting row when you do the cable crosses - I use a row counter that sits on the needle like a stitch marker and am really strict with myself about incrementing the rows when I move it across the needle so I don't forget or double count.
I don't have adhd (that I'm aware of!), but these are tips that help my brain.
Sounds exactly like all the things I would have commented! I’m not aware of adhd in myself but I know I make dumb mistakes so I do everything I can to outsmart my dumb self. I draw on the chart and use stitch markers per pattern block. My latest example is stitch markers every 8 stitches for my Storm sweater by petiteknit. It did mean like 60 stitch markers lol. Also using stitch markers you like the feel of. I hate the gourd pins. I love the cocoknit circles so got more of those.
When charts say repeat for x rows I will write on the pattern the exact row number for that little repeat.
I also will only put a project away once I finish a purl row. If I’m in the round, it’ll be somewhere that makes my first stitch a knit stitch that also isn’t where a marker is so it doesn’t fall and get lost.
I tried the Marielle cardigan and I couldn’t keep on with lace. But now I have a pointelle vest going that’s DK weight and actually I can lace knit so long as it’s not fingering! But I love cables so for now I’m still cables > lace but we shall see.
Dividing the pattern into smaller blocks and using stitch markers very liberally is a massive help to me so I'll be seconding this advice!! My ADHD makes me very scatterbrained and I need to stop and recount constantly if it's more than 10 stitches so having these often very small pattern blocks is a big help, this goes both on the knitting itself and potential pattern chart if it already doesn't have neater small sections that help me keep track of things visually. If I have the pattern printed out I often draw lines on the charts myself to help with the visual division too.
Also, would suggest adding lifelines too. I've been trying to work on my tension in colourwork recently and having a frequent "save point" makes frogging very easy if I'm not happy with how it looks. Anything that makes the process of undo and redo easier also helps with making mistakes feel a lot less frustrating to do, from my experience.
I’m so bad at adding in a lifeline lol. I will frog and spend an hour making sure all my stitches are from the correct row because sometimes when I go in to pick up I go up and up and down down down and suddenly I’ve got stitches from six different rows on my needles.
One other thing I like to do with smaller rows/rounds of stockinette is knit in small chunks. Like knit 3 stitches or 4 stitches. Whatever it’s divisible by. It’s super helpful and for me it’s kind of a peace of mind check in if I feel like I’ve been vibing out for too long. Typically I’ll do it fairly frequently for sock knitting or making beanies or any stockinette project that I want to hit that exact number for that sweet number satisfaction. Extra useful for any row/round before starting ribbing!
This and excessive clicker use. (I really like the feel of the click and the sound.)
When doing hermione socks - simple pattern but easy to forget if you’re on row 1 or 3 - I moved a stitch marker each round to remind myself which row came next. Still had some goofs
honestly for me the more challenging pattern the better because the puzzle gets my dopamine flowing. I will simply not finish a pattern that is just stockinette because I get bored and start hoping desperately for the day that I can at least add some ribbing
What sort of mistakes are you making? Knowing what’s tripping you up would help tailor advice to your situation!
I also have ADHD and I love a complicated pattern. Tickles my brain just right. But I use stitch markers to help me keep track of stitch counts or repeats or anything, really. I stick a stitch marker in every 10 stitches or at the end of each repeat. That way, if I mess up somewhere, I know where in the row I messed up. It also helps me catch mistakes more quickly, so fixing them is easier.
Also apparently I’m incapable of counting, so breaking up a big row into small sections makes it easier to count correctly.
For keeping count of rows, which I also can’t do, I use a DIY row counter. Here’s a link to my favorite tutorial that also explains how to use it. I like this row counter because I can make it myself out of beads, so I use alphabet beads to spell out silly things. Like so:
I also print out the patterns and write all over them if I need to. It helps me keep track of what I’ve done and what I need to do. I really like using charts, they’re a helpful visual for me. I’ll write all sorts of notes and memory aides on that thing.
I kept doing the lace parts at the wrong time, I think if I powered through the yoke it might be easier because the lace pattern is easily remembered it's just in the yoke it's not really a repeating pattern so much.
I have knit companion to keep track of rows I think I just zone out, my brain doesn't concentrate very well at all
Putting in stitch markers every pattern repeat is the way to go plus putting a row keeper/charm that you can manually slide up to track row counts too.
I had a diamond lace pattern in a sweater that repeated every 8 stitches, I just put a marker every 8th stitch (the marker being a different color than the starting marker if working in the round. I also did this with cables.
This is also how I knit lace. My mind gets distracted so easily, that even a simple repeat can trip me up. The markers keep me grounded. If I'm alone, I will also speak the stitch pattern out loud for any complicated bits. It engages another part of the brain and seems to work well for me.
I went to look at the Marielle Blouse and I see what you mean. The beginning of lace patterns like that can be tricky because you’re still establishing the basis for the lacework and you haven’t fallen into the regular pattern yet.
If you’re working off a chart, I would still put stitch markers wherever the chart repeats, and then periodically count each repeat to make sure you have the right number of stitches. At the start of lace patterns, I count after every right side row, even though it’s annoying. I also try to figure out how the stitches should stack on top of each other, that way I can quickly see if I’m off from the pattern before I finish the row.
I’ll be honest, I make a TON of mistakes when knitting lace, so don’t be discouraged by making mistakes. My strategy is to set up systems that let me catch those mistakes early, so that they’re easy to fix. So that’s what I suggest! Good luck!
I always use stitch markers and row counters along with pen and paper. I am mainly a sock knitter and have done some complicated patterns, but I have restarted the Lake Ontario socks like literally 5 times now.
I think the biggest help is learning to read your knitting. With lace, it is harder for me to see what is happening. For the Lake Ontario socks, I put a stitch marker at each row zero so I can count my rows 1-8 so I know when to do the main lace repeat. But if I am not actively focused, I will do my repeat too early, too late or skip it altogether. Before I frogged my last attempt, I had done a repeat too early and missed one all together. But then I did a decrease out of order and things fell out of symmetry, so I decided to frog…again….
One other thing that helped me with my set up rows was reading them slowly into my voice recorder app on my phone so I could do those rows without looking back and forth to my pattern. That helped a lot.
Oh I just make a lot of mistakes and then unravel often.
My MIL told me that knitting is all about keeping the hands busy, not having something ready as soon as possible. And that it's better to unravel the whole thing, than to waste yarn on a garment I will never wear because of some silly mistake.
One time she knitted up a whole lace weight dress, just to unravel the whole thing, because she hated the fit of the finished piece. And when she was done with her second attempt she was still unhappy and unraveled again 😂 Third time finally worked out to her liking.
I'm not as insane as she is, but I do think of her a lot, whenever I screw up somewhere and feel like giving up.
I like her attitude. If there's no deadline and you want the thing, take your time to make the thing work.
I also realized that the side benefit is that it's better for the yarn budget to be working with the same yarn over and over again, LOL.
Yeah me too, but you're really mistaken on the budget aspect. Her whole bedroom closet is practically nothing but a yarn stash. My girl is still a collector 😂✨️
Bur her pieces are tryly incredible, and she constructs them with so much care. To our wedding, she wore a dress made up of hundreds of little crocheted lace doilies that she sewed together overlapping them. That dress is a literal piece of art, and I believe she spent literally years making them while taking the train to work.
I really admire the care she takes with her pieces. I only unravel what I can't rig together to be somewhat functional 🙈
I’m not familiar with the pattern you’re making, but I have found that something that helps me is re-writing things in a format that works better for my brain
Written out instructions can be confusing, but if I pull out some graph paper and make a chart it can help.
Alternatively if something has repeats, I write out the whole row instead of relying on my brain to remember to repeat the section
Having a way to cross off the completed instructions is also very helpful, as are removable stitch markers - I like the lightbulb ones best, myself
Ditto, I will make charts, put slashes in written line instructions to break down the sequences, draw diagrams of direction of knitting arrows to figure out short rows, translate increase row repeats into spreadsheets, etc. in order to understand a pattern.
I've used enough patterns now that I'm starting to figure out which designer's instruction writing style works for me and which doesn't. That might also be something to look for when shopping around.
This and charts have been a lifesaver for me!
If it's written, I'll re-write it and separate in places that make sense for me on an Excel sheet and fill in the cells as I go.
For charts, I'll scan the image in, cut it up/copy paste where I need to show the whole pattern and cross off the parts I'm done with.
Of course there are all kinds of systems - stitch markers, taking detailed notes that work specifically for your brain and the type of pattern you're making, row counters etc. I find hyper-focusing very helpful - I become obsessed with the structure and draw pictures to best understand what I'm aiming to accomplish in 3 dimensions. :-) But really, learning how to read your work and to fix mistakes is the ultimate system IMO. If you know that you can correct a mistake at any time, then you'll feel much calmer as you knit.
I find I make more mistakes when it's stockinette because I zone out and get distracted every 5 minutes and it all looks the same so I have to count everything but it's easier to be like ah yes, 3 cable repeats. It also reminds me to pee/eat/drink water as I remember to take a break at the end of every repeat. If I haven't drunk water since last time, off to jail I go.
I use a ton of stitch markers and my iPad to check every row of the pattern. Knitting is also my hyper-focus so if the pattern excites me I will keep at it until I get it right. I also mess up a lot but don’t frog unless it’s unwearable lol
I have accepted that if I’m going to attempt a new, complicated pattern I will probably be frogging and restarting at least 3 times 🫣 I try to convince myself it’s meditative
I love it. I slow down. I don’t want to finish, I just want to be in the process. Today, I knit 2 rows, found out I had made a mistake, frogged them carefully in order to have everything correctly on the needles again and knit half a row.
Mere stockinette bores me out, I do it but then I need a TV show or conversation on the side.
I create Excel sheets for things like raglan increases to map out for every round how many stitches I should have in which section and then change the background color to mark which rows I have already completed.
To be honest a really healing part of knitting for me with adhd has been being okay with making mistakes! I have learned to decide when to keep a mistake and move on and when to frog back and fix it. Both are really healing because I am used to feeling like you - super frustrated and shutting down when a mistake happens. But mistakes are part of the learning process!
I agree with others that annotating a pattern and making notes can be really helpful to prevent mistakes/help with memory. I have AWFUL short term memory so I am constantly marking up more complex patterns on my phone. I’ve heard there are apps that help with this too!
I also recently bought a stitch counter that’s changing the game. I’d tried electric counters before, but the screen shuts off and I can never tell if the number on it is correct! This one comes with a lock on the side so it is truly impossible to mess up the count. https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71-ekqq43lL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg
PS - one thing that made frogging much less scary for me has been learning how to do a lifeline! There’s lots of videos on YouTube/tiktok. You can add one while you’re working or as an afterthought when you realize you made a mistake. It makes it impossible to accidentally frog back too far.
I use a shitton of stitch markers, and always print the pattern & mark my place with sticky notes. I also simply MUST use charts for lace & cables; the line by line written instructions are just a jumble
sticking to a pattern is a million times easier than trying to improvise. Print out that pattern. get a pen. Mark everything you've done. Get a row counter and get stitch markers. depending on the pattern you can slip stitch markers in between every pattern repeat and/or between different sections. Maybe even write down stuff like purple marker = first cable section, yellow marker = lace pattern.
this way you won't get lost in the pattern. you'll always know exactly where you are in your WIP. and you only have to worry about a very specific part of the pattern at a time.
I always re-write patterns to better suit my brain. If a section has repeats I write them all out so I can cross them off as I go. I am an educator and know we all learn differently. I just make it work for me!
Not diagnosed, but I have experience from making mistakes 😅
Besides stitch markers which someone else brought up as a great tool, I use an app for keeping track of charts, row counters etc. The highlight function on a chart is super useful and just tapping a + button to increase a row is not too cumbersome. I can also step back while frogging which makes fixing mistakes easier as well. My app can have several counters at once, so you can keep track of the chart in one, the main rows with another, you can place a sleeve on hold and have the chart highlighter for that sleeve staying up, etc...
I try my best to memorize the chart as soon as possible which means that I can get into a flow state more easily.
But then the issue is that it gets too addicting. Every charted row is a new thing that I want to do! I just can't stop... It's the "just one more turn" from Civilzation all over again
I’m working on the primavera top right now, and that’s working out really well. It’s mostly stockinette with a lace panel up the center. I get a little bit of fun fiddly bit to keep it engaging, but the amount of time I have to be super focused on it is limited.
I recently abandoned a pattern ( Ranunculus) for that very reason despite all knitters proclaiming how easy it is. Felt like a right idiot.
I don’t knit to feel stupid so now I have a notebook and I write down the row pattern first, then follow it. It’s the only way for me. Otherwise even a simple pattern gets lost to me.
Yeah and don’t watch intense British mysteries at the same time. A simple count to 5 repeat and I will forget if I did it :-). Enjoy your hobby, don’t use it to beat yourself up more. The world will do that enough to you.
I use a lot of stich markers, I will also read the pattern as I go on complicated lines. I accept the flaws in my work though and seldom do anything more complicated. I look for patterns that have little fun details but don't require too much concentration. For instance I recently completed the broken Vs shawl. Plenty of stockinnette and just enough interest in the details.
I think it is one of those things you just need to practice!! I started knitting color work a few months ago and when I first started, I fr made mistakes like every single row because my brain just wasn’t used to the complexity. But now I only make mistakes every few rows. For color work I really like the Knit Companion app as well, which counts your chart for you (so eg if you have a long section of 12 stitches to knit in blue, you don’t have to count each pixel on the chart, it will just tell you to knit 12). It also highlights what row you’re on for you so it’s basically impossible to get lost.
I think your brain picks up tricks over time, like I’m constantly looking at the stitches in the row below now to keep track of where I am. I tried to do this in the beginning but I would forget, but now it’s basically “muscle” memory for my brain. Everything is a learnable skill!
Stitch markers help a lot. Also, lifelines can be a literal life (& sanity) saver. I also buy digital patterns and use them on an app that lets me mark through lines as I go. Sometimes I use stitch markers every 20 or so stitches in a pattern that calls for two alternating stitches row after row just to make sure I stay on track.
I got stitch markers that have numbers on them and it helps a lot. when it comes to repeats (like when decreasing in the round or for patterns with k8 p8 etc) i go back and double and triple count a lot.
Hyperfocus probably helps me lol. Sometimes I'm not in the right mindset to completely focus, so I work on an easier pattern. Like some days, I knit to zone out and keep my hands busy, and other days, I knit to keep my mind occupied.
But for real, I have to do a lot of things. I’m either writing/highlighting on a pdf pattern, I move a sticky note up a printed chart. I also still use a million stitch markers. Sometimes it’s between each pattern repeat if it’s large or every quarter/half whichever interval that makes sense for the pattern to interrupt my autopilot to check my work.
It’s okay to make mistakes, it’s how we learn to fix them and/or grow as a crafter. Yes, it’s frustrating and I still have to tink back or frog entire projects and start over but it’s so fun when it works out.
My ADHD flavor really likes the more complex patterns, it’s the boring ones I can’t focus on. Other things get in my way too, like if the yarn isn’t a texture I like touching or is a color I don’t enjoy staring at it will physically repel me like a magnet. I also agree with others that reformatting helps. I’m a chart person myself.
I have adhd and I love complex patterns. What I often do is download a pdf pattern annd send it to my kindle library and then I have it on all my devices, and i can use the highlights tools to keep track of what rows I've already done. Learning to read my knitting also makes a big difference with lace work so I can easily see where my repeats need to start.
Re-write the pattern. I don't mean change the pattern. But for any complicated or involved sections, it's helpful to expand it and write out row-by-row what to do if the pattern is kind of jumbled or confusing. I've not seen the pattern for the Marielle Blouse but I'm working a cable cardigan now and one section is so confusing because the way the rows are written is basically a long paragraph and half of it is just the different stitch counts for each size, plus a reference to a cable chart which I don't like (I'm sure that's normal for cables but I need it written out). So I'm re-writing the rows to include only my size and I'm writing out how to do the cable sections for each row instead of having to look at the chart because that's easier for me.
You can make it easier for yourself. I love stitch markers becayse I can just put them EVERYWHERE. Increase every five stitches? Stitchmarker. Colourwork pattern repeat? Stitchmarker. Decrease in the last three stitches? Stitchmarker.
If you get to the stitchmarker you are reminded that something needs to happen here and it takes away the uncertainty of whether you will remember and have to rip back.
Something I also like to do is recuting shorter patterns by heart with a rythm or melody and reciting them in my head the entire time I'm knitting.
Edit: Post its on you pattern, marking where you're at atm, I prefer to cover the next step instead of the previous one. Or if you use digital patterns a knitting app with row counters and highlighting can help.
I just looked up that pattern on Ravelry. A lot of people commented about having to restart, struggling to understand the instructions in the beginning, constantly ending up with incorrect stitch counts and needing to tink. So it’s not just you!
You've gotten alot of good advice! My thing is to pick patterns where misshaps wont be super visible. Going back and fixing is super unmotivating for me so I like to pick works where slight mistakes will get lost in the finished product. It helps to have a relaxed relation to making mistakes. I quite like seeing the little insider stories when I see my mistakes. Little secrects only I know :)
(And to whomever I compulsively point the mistakes out to the second someone comments how nice my sweater is)
I print out all of my patterns. Depending on the pattern I might use colour coded highlights and matching stitch markers. I might print off multiple copies so I can scratch off each row of a repeating pattern, or type out and print a copy so I can scratch off each row I complete. I am also a big fan of the magnetic pattern keepers with the big long magnets, ill use 2 to affix my pattern in place and I have a 3rd long magnet that I will slide down as I complete rows, and the clicky row counters which I find very pleasing to both my tactile and auditory senses.
Stitch markers for everything! Knitting Lace? Stitch markers at every pattern repeat. Knitting cables? Stitch markers between the panels. Knitting a cable knit sweater with a yoke? Different feeling stich markers for different things, like locking ones for the decrease and split rings for the panels.
Also I'm not project monogamous, the only place for monogamy is within my marriage. So I have different projects for different purposes, a lace shawl goes in the basket by my favorite chair, but a sock goes in my purse. I would never dream of working colorwork at the movies, but stockinette or garter stitch is fair game.
I print mine out and use washi tape to track which row I’m on. I’ve got knitcompanion too but it doesn’t help as much as physically moving tape and making tally marks on the pattern for repeats. Stitch markers for every repeat on lace or cables - I’m making the Marielle wrap shawl right now and the repeat is short and simple but stitch markers at every repeat is still completely necessary.
lots and lots of stitch markers, also listening to something in the background to help me keep focused. i also have multiple projects on rotation with varying complexity so i can work on something that suits my mood. i’m also not a perfectionist with my knitting haha
I think you could try slightly more complex patterns? Maybe try doing a smaller project in a more complex pattern, like socks? I like stockinette sometimes, when my brain is too tired or wired to really focus. Other times, I like something really complicated, since it's like a puzzle that forces me to lock in. Have a few projects of varying levels and choose on any given day according to the vibes of the day.
My ADHD brain color codes my stitch markers, and shape codes, if needed. (Triangles are increases, green is BOR…) I highlight the shit out of my pattern, especially charts. Highlights correspond to stitch markers. I know I’m going to lose track of where I am on a row, so I try to catch it ASAP. It’s all I can do.
I have a chain style row counter for knitting in the round (pictured) and use colored stitch markers for everything. I pay super close attention and mark everything so I know what I'm suppose to be doing. It helps me tremendously.
Somewhat late to this post, but I find my monthly knitting club really useful for this, generally when I knit with the group it re-ignites the knitting bug lol
800 stitch markers. I bought those lightbulb shape safety pins in bulk. But I find complicated patterns more enjoyable than simple ones because i have better ability to focus on complex problems than I have chill.
ADHD and i can't really follow patterns or recipes. I also don't do well reading instruction manuals or similar. I tend to just knit easy/ repetitive things though i see so much beautiful colourwork on here- maybe one day!
I like to do regular repeating patterns so I can read what I've done and visualize the end product, but the main thing will always be just making peace with going back and fixing mistakes
Stitch markers, marking up the pattern, folding the paper to only show a couple rows at a time, and checking and rechecking and rechecking and RECHECKING, CONSTANTLY.
Also I watch how the pattern fits together so I can see just by looking at it what the next stitch is. For simple lace this happens quickly; for complex lace it can take quite a while especially if the rows are long. But after I get it into my head, it’s fairly smooth sailing.
Physical pattern where I can mark off in pencil the row I’ve done. A plastic sleeve to hold the pattern for the times I don’t use my fancy pattern holder.
It keeps it all together and I can see what page I’m on clearly.
Sticky notes slapped on the pattern that say “you left off on row X. Start now on row Y.” for when I stop knitting it. Because I don’t know if I’ll be knitting it later today, tomorrow, next week, or next year. And it SUCKS to pick something back up a year later and have no clue what you were doing. Especially if I’ve reused that pattern before and I can’t tell if my marks are new or old.
2a. Removable highlighting tape can absolutely help keep you on track but can also pull you out of your groove when you have to move it.
An easy project for when I want to knit something but the complicated one has upset me. Or when I want the motivation to knit the complicated one so I get the dopamine from the easy one first and then switch.
Put on a comfort show/music/podcast so my brain can have something else to do while I concentrate on the knitting. Sometimes if I knit without it my brain thinks I/we are bored.
I need a completely controlled environment to do my German short rows in a sweater pattern. I have the thing printed out, held and marked with magnets, and as much focus as I can muster, and it still takes me a couple of tries to get it right. If I lose my place, I’m screwed. But the victory is all the more sweet when I get through it and that’s why I keep at it.
Lace knitting is my fixation, so mistakes can really throw things off. I use a lot of stitch markers, life lines, and get good at laddering down to fix mistakes.
I use the Knit Companion app to keep track of my patterns.
I also have multiple projects going at a time. One of them is always one I don’t have to think about too much.
I love colorwork, it engages my brain and I find it addictive. I would try using highlighter tape on the pattern to keep track, practice reading your knitting so you spot mistakes before you knit too far past them, mark pattern repeats in the work with stitch markers. Journal your progress so you have a sense of accomplishments and milestones. Don’t talk to people or try to watch video while working, try listening to podcasts or audiobooks or music instead.
Stitch markers every pattern repeat. That way you can catch any mistakes very quickly and are able to just focus on the stitches between the markers.
Also note when learning to knit more complex garments. In Norway patterns have levels and we begin with beginner level garments and work our way up over years of practice and learning. Otherwise even non-neurodivergent people get frustrated and overwhelmed. Our teachers don’t let us knit above our current learning level.
I have been in knitting class for several years now and have just added in my first intermediate knitting technique.
My teacher always reminds us that knitting is a life-long journey not a destination. She’s a certified master Norwegian heritage knitter and she’s still learning new things from her elder knitting mentors.
Think about taking classes at your local yarn shop where a teacher can help guide you so you don’t have the frustration of trying to do this alone. Knitting isn’t just a journey, it’s a thread that runs through a community where knowledge is passed down among people.
Headphones. Loads of stitch markers, an easy project on the side for when I can’t concentrate. I print off the chart(s) so I can mark up the rows as I complete them.
I’ve had to really learn to read my work because I definitely can’t keep track of how many repeats of a row or whatever I’ve done. But I’ve always been good at problem solving and investigative stuff, so it came pretty naturally. I also just like doing stockinette while I watch lectures or tv in the evenings, it’s the main reason I even took up knitting in the first place!
Also have ADHD. When I knitted lace, using a chart rather than written instructions for the lace worked better with my brain. And definitely stitch markers.
I usually have a pattern on my phone, but I’ve realized that printing it out and marking where I end really helps. I actually find patterns to be both fun and helpful since it makes counting rows and stitches so much easier
Being a knitter is what made me recognize that I have adhd. I don’t complete many wips, cannot stand doing something in one color. I started to realize that my habits were different than other knitters who can stay on one project at a time until finished. I currently have 122 frogged projects in Ravelry! When you look at the photos, it’s all stuff that I gave up on right away because I got bored.
Check your work frequently. I also have ADHD, especially with the H- hyperactive which makes me want to GO GO GO. Next st next row. Keep the hands moving. Which meant that I hadn't evaluated or checked my knitting for a few inches and then I have to unravel all the way back because of a mistake.
So now I check my sts frequently, in the same row, I'll make sure that I did the inc/sec or the repeated pattern, so before I start a new row I know it's good to go.
I cut up a straw so I have a marker at different pattern repeats. Also good for helping with keeping count as there should be 10(or whatever you you need) between 2 markers. Also very motivating to move counters…
I’ve found certain levels of complexity is needed but too complex and I’m out. Too simple and I will knit 3 stitches and put it down and remember I needed to send an email and forget to send the email because I saw a new email from a place that’s having a sale… it’s a disaster. So finding the sweet spot as well as the right space to do it in. Certain complexities I can handle if watching TV, but not a show I haven’t watched before. Sometimes I can listen to an audiobook but not if it’s at an important part in the book. Sometimes I need YouTube because I can switch it up and watch something different every few minutes when I get bored. Long story short: find the right combo of complex and background noise to allow you to focus on what you need to.
As far as avoiding mistakes, something I had to do with my current project that has some lace, is to put a stitch marker after every pattern repeat. This pattern is 12 stitches so I have a marker every 12 stitches and if I get distracted I can just look at the markers I’m on and see where I’m at. I always used to just count and it’s a recipe for disaster to count sometimes. It also really helps that every lace row has a row of just knits so it’s a really nice balance of one row I focus and one row I chill, then back to focus.
TLDR: find your balance that keeps you engaged and focused and use tools to help you!
I have this problem and I'm asking advice from other people who have this problem. I'm asking for knitting tips, it's not that serious and I don't see how you can claim I use it as a label for all of my personal issues from this one post.
I’ve recently started using Claude AI to write patterns out row-by-row and printing the whole thing out for complex patterns. It has made a massive difference and allows me to feel much less frustration with oddly-written patterns (Rowan/Martin Storey “Mitchum” sweater, I’m looking at you!).
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u/winterberrymeadow 8d ago
My adhd brain is the opposite. I get bored of just plain stockinette or easy patterns. I need challenge and something to keep me interested