Butterfly Rowan 37 Help with lace pattern

How-to Questions
1

I really want to knit butterfly from Rowan’s magazine 37. I would like to substitute some yarn I already have, lace weight baby alpaca. It is supposed to made from kid silk haze.
I am stuck doing the swatch, I can’t seem to get the lace pattern right. I heard it is a good idea to practise with ‘normal’ weight wool and needles. I haven’t knitted lace before…

I can’t understand the chart, I know how to read it, but how do you start a row with a yarn over?
Ahh, so many questions…also where it says dec 2, does that mean knit 2 tog tbl, knit 2 tog ?
It has a chart for the lace pattern but not written instructions.

You can see my feeble attempt at the lace pattern on my blog.
Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

2

There is usually a legend along with the chart that tells you what the symbols mean such as the decrease you mentioned. Does the pattern include that anywhere?

3

Yes, the symbol stands for Dec 2. I’m just not sure how to go about the dec, just knit 2 together twice?

4

If the symbol in one box says to dec 2, then you have to either k3 together or sssk, or slip one, k2tog, psso.

k3tog will lean right, ssk and the psso will lean left. If it doesn’t seem to make a difference in the pattern, do what is easier.

If the symbol has a slanted line in it / or , then do the decrease leaning in that direction.

5

Thankyou Ingrid!
That is very helpful. The symbol is ^ so it slants both ways.
I will try again tonight and hopefully get something that looks a bit more like the pattern is supposed to !

6

I think that symbol means this to slip one, k2 together, pass slipped stitch over (according to www.knittingfool.com)

7

Great! and thanks for the link, another site to add to my LONG list of bookmarks!!:muah: