When knitting cables or any repeating pattern I use a "chain counter" I stopped at one of the craft stores (Micheal's, AC Moore etc.) and picked up a package of split rings a little larger than the needle size I am using and a dangle. If the cable crosses every 5 rounds/rows I put 5 rings on the chain. At one end of the chain goes the dangle. The dangle normally on my ring number one. Each round I advance one ring. When I hit the last ring I cable crossover. If I have multiple cables crossing on different row I have more than one chain. If one cable crosses every 5th round and another crosses every 8 rounds then I have two chains one with 5 rings and another with 8 rings.

No counting. If I put the hose down I know exactly which round I was on for each cable crossover.