Hi fellow knitters. I recently started working on a fan stitch scarf and am having loads of trouble getting it right. If anyone is in the know about how to do this correctly, please respond. The pattern calls for 18 cast-on stitches. I get several rows into it and notice my stitches are decreasing from 18, to 16, to 14…that is where I last stopped. The pattern goes like this: Row 1 (RS): [K2tog] 3times, [K1, yo] 6 times, [K2tog] 3 times; Rows 2&3: Knit (slip first st); Row 4: Slip 1 st, P17. Repeat for desired length. I keep doing this exactly the way indicated but seem to get something different every time. It looks good, but seems like if I keep doing what I’m doing, it will dwindle to nothing. It has to be something to do with the slip stitches, but not sure. Is it normal to have decreases/increases for this type of stitch? I really love this stitch and am hoping someone can offer advice!
Fan stitch HELP!
That’s also called feather and fan and you shouldn’t be losing sts. the [K1, yo] should be done 6 times so the whole row would be - K2tog K2tog K2tog, K, yo, k yo k yo k yo K, yo, k yo, K2tog K2tog K2tog. The slip st is done on the plain rows and doesn’t decrease sts, you just move the first one from the L to the R needle; you also don’t have to do that, just knit or purl the first one. Make sure you do the YOs as just a wrap around the needle, there should be only 1 knit st between them.
I think I may see the problem. To make a nice smooth edge, I always slip the first stitch as if to purl, but with a pattern like Feather and Fan (which I’m using right now too) I always ADD 2 extra stitches to the CO in order to have the 2 extra edge stitches; I slip the first and work the last to match/blend in with the pattern (it winds up twisted around to the edge so you won’t really be adding anything to the number needed for the pattern itself). Slipping the first stitch of the 18 needed to make the stitch pattern means that you’re shorting yourself by one.
Try a swatch on another set of needles with another ball of yarn and see if that’s the problem–since you’re likely losing one every 4th row when you do the YO,s, it’ll take 8 or 12 rows before you’ll be sure that’s it. DON’T rip out your work till you know what’s going on!