Hello!
I’m new here and a beginner knitter. 
I’m trying to follow a Hayfield Baby Blanket pattern and I’m attempting the wave stitch… it’s supposed to be easy peasy, but I’m so confused.
I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong. I’m losing more stitches than I’m making I’m following the pattern. I don’t understand how it could make a blanket.
I’ve attached an image of the pattern. If anyone can help will be much appreciated.
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I think the yarn forward instruction means yarn-over, i.e making an extra stitch by working a knit stitch and then moving the yarn forward (as if to purl), but knitting the next stitch. This creates an extra loop over the needle that you treat as a separate stitch on the next row.
So in row 1, between the starred repeats you are working a K2 tog 4 times, which loses 4 stitches, and in the stitch in-between, you are working a k1, yo, k1, yo, k1, which makes 5 stitches out of 1. So the stitch count should be the same.
Rows 2-4 don’t change the stitch count.
Is this clear? Good luck!
I tried again this morning with your instructions and explanation and… it worked! Thank you so much! 
You’re very welcome!
I am just about to start this pattern and when I look at the pattern it does not make sense to me. If I follow the 1st row I am losing 4 stitches by Ktog four time, but only adding two stitches if I follow the pattern (k1, yfwd, k1, yfwd, k1). What am I missing?
Welcome to KH!
The (K1, yfwd, k1, yfwd, k1) is all knit into the same stitch. Out of one stitch you’re making 5sts for an increase of 4.
Hi, the yarn forward takes the strand over the needle between the two k1s. You treat this loop as an extra stitch on the return row - this makes 5 stitches out of one.
I presume it is a lace pattern? Working the loop open i.e. without twisting it makes a hole - the lace appearance comes from regularly placed holes! Does this make sense?
Mel
Hi, sorry I still don’t get it! When I bring the yarn forward I create one extra stitch, I do this yarn forward only twice in the sequence. The pattern sequence is K4 *(k2tog) twice, (k1, yfwd,
k1, yfwd, k1) into next st, (k2tog) twice, rep from * to last 4 sts, K4. So between * I am k2tog 4 times but only yfwd twice? I must be missing something?
Sorry, just about to start knitting so a bit muddled! Thanks for your help.
The (k1, yarn forward, k1, yarn forward, k1) is all worked into one stitch. Normally when you knit a stitch, you drop the old one off the needle. In this pattern, you don’t in this section. So you put the right needle in as if to knit, pull through the loop but don’t drop the old loop off. Bring the yarn forward and go back into the original stitch and knit out another loop. Don’t drop the original stitch yet. Again bring the yarn forward and then go back into the original stitch and knit out another loop. You now have 5 loops on the right needle from the original stitch, and you can now drop this original stitch off the left needle. Three of the loops on the right needle from the original stitch are the ones you’ve knitted out, and two have been made by the yarn forward s.
Perfect, that makes sense now. Thanks a million!
Grand! Hope you enjoy making it!