Can't understand pattern

#1

I’m fairly new to knitting - I’m trying to understand this pattern. It’s for a thermal bunting (basically a bag for a newborn). It’s from the Plymouth yarn co. I understood the neckband instructions, but don’t understand the next section.

Change to larger needles.
Establish Yoke Pattern:
Row 1: (RS) Knit 6, p1, k1 across next 6 (7,8) sts
[left front], [12(14,16)] sts
yo, k1, [seam st], yo,
p1, k1,p1 (3sts) [left sleeve]
yo, k1, [seam st] yo,
p1, k1 across next 16 (18,20)sts [back]
yo,k1 [seam st] yo,
p1,k1,p1 (3sts) [right sleeve]
yo,k1 [seam st] yo,
k1,p1 across next 6 (7,8) sts, knit 6 - [right front]
[12 (14, 16) ] sts

I’ve typed it exactly as it appears. What I don’t understand is what the items in the brackets [] mean. What does left front refer to, and seam st, back, and so forth in the brackets mean?

Thank you!

#2

They’re just telling you what these stitches are in the bunting, so you can orient yourself to where you are.

For example, the [seam stitch] is the knit that’s between the two yo’s. This is where the raglan sleeve seam is.

The [left sleeve] stitches are the 3 stitches that will be at the top of the left sleeve.

So what you’re doing here is establishing the stitches so you can increase for the raglan yoke.

First you’re doing the left front, then a seam stitch, then the left sleeve, a seam stitch, the back, seam stitch, right sleeve, seam, right front.

#3

You won’t actually make a seam where the seam stitch is, it’s in place of a seam and between the incs which would normally be the edge of the pieces if you were knitting separate pieces.

#4

Thank you! I was very confused, especially when I checked the glossary and the [] meant something different . . . I suppose there are variances among different pattern makers . . . Thanks again!

#5

Most of the time if there is a stitch sequence withing [] it means to repeat that a number of times. Sometimes it’s just to give information.