Decreasing assistance

#1

hello again, this is my second thread for the day!

The pattern I am following says:

“dec 1 st at each end of next row, then 3 foll 6th rows, then 3 foll 4th rows, then 5 foll alt rows, then every row to 33 sts.”

I know the first part means that I should decrease by 2 sts in the first row and for that i will probably knit one, decrease the next stitch, then decrease the 2nd to last stitch, then knit one.

For the next set of decreases, what should i do?

Do I decrease by 6 stitches in total for the next 6 rows, then 6 for the following 4 rows and so on?

I’m really confused.

#2

Call the first decrease row, Row 0 (the next would be row 1). Then you decrease 2sts the same as for Row 0 on rows 6, 12, and 18, then rows 22, 26 and 30 and rows 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 and then on every row.

#3

So just so I’ve got this right -

decrease on row 0

then knit 1 - 5

decrease by 2 on 6th

then knit 7 - 11

decrease by 2 on 12th

then knit 13 - 17

decrease by 2 on 18th

etc

then from 41, decrease by 2 on every row until i have 33 sts?

Gosh, using a pattern from this booklet is quite different to those on the leaflets!

I am determined to succeed!

thanks

#4

Yep, I think you’ve got it!

#5

I think these instructions are written kind of confusingly (is that a word)? You might want to look at them this way:

When you get to where you begin decreasing, do your first decrease row.

After that, decrease at each end of every 6th row, three times.

After that, decrease at each end of every 4th row, three times.

After that, decrease at each end of every other row, five times.

After that, decrease at each end of every row until you have 33 stitches left.

If you consider your first decrease row to be row 0, then you will end up with the decreases being on the rows SuzeeQ pointed out.

#6

Guys, thanks for all your help.

I’ve just added you to my meagre friends list on Ravelry

#7

Yes, Marria, that’s the easiest way to write out the dec instructions but most patterns don’t, they tend to use a shortcut to get them all in one line. After a while you get used to how patterns are written so you can easily interpret them.

#8

True–I’ve never knit from a pattern that didn’t have abbreviations…I just thought that even the abbreviated instructions in this one were weird:

“…then 3 foll 6th rows, then 3 foll 4th rows, then 5 foll alt rows,”…etc.

I have never seen it written out with the number of times you decrease, for example 3 [I]followed by[/I] which rows you actually decrease on. That probably doesn’t make sense…but normally I see them written out, for example as:

“Dec 1 st each end of every 6th row 3 times, then every 4th row 3 times, then eor 5 times…” etc. Takes a bit more space, but is also more clear in my opinion…of course what is clear to me may not be to someone else, so I still, oftentimes will write out a section of pattern that isn’t very clear to me in longhand anyway.

:slight_smile:

#9

That style of instruction is typical of British or European patterns I think. Maybe even those from Berrocco or one of the high fashion yarn companies.