Help! Knitting patterns with parentheses

How-to Questions
1

I am desperate for an explanation!

I am trying to work this lace scarf pattern and I am stuck. I read that when there’s are parentheses around a set of pattern you work those set of pattern into the same stitch. However what I can understand is how do you work K2tog into the same stitch?

Here is the pattern that’s left me perplexed.

Rows 1 & 3 (WS) Purl - that I understand
Row 2: K2tog, yo, *k3, yo, k1, (sl 1, k2tog, psso), k1, yo, k3, yo, (sl 1, k2tog, psso), yo Repeat from * to last 13 sts, then k3, yo, k1, (sl 1, k2tog, psso), k1, yo, k3, yo, (sl 1, k1, psso).

Row 2 is where I am stuck, I can’t figure out how to (sl 1, k2tog, psso). If I am to work all that into one step how am I suppose to sl 1 and then k2tog when I am only working with one stitch? I am so confused.

2

Pattern directions set off by parentheses need not be worked into one st. In the case of the pattern you quote, the (sl 1, k2tog, psso) is worked over 3 sts ( the slipped st and the 2 sts that are knit together). So just follow the directions as is. I think the parentheses are just to set off those directions because the first slipped st shows up at the end of the set when it’s slipped over the k2tog (I guess). The directions would be the same without parens.

3

Thanks for responding. The only problem is, I tried that and I ran out of stitches or there aren’t enough stitches to “repeat” as the pattern suggests. The pattern calls for 43 CO stitches, when I count the parentheses as one stitch, then it adds up to 43 stitches.

4

When I count up the sts with 2 repeats of 14 sts each, I get 43: 2 + [14sts x 2]+13. The sl1, k2tog, psso counts as a double decrease (3 sts become 1 st) and it balances out 2 yo’s each time you do it. Whether you count the sts before row 2 (3sts in each parens) or after row 2 is completed (1st in the parens), it still should add up to 43.
The last sl1 k1 psso is just a single decrease to balance out the single yo. How many sts are you under when you get to the end of the row? And how many sts are you counting between the asterisks?

5

The most common cause of ‘running out of stitches’ when doing a lace pattern is knitting a stitch as part of the yo. That’s just wrapping your yarn around the needle, the [B]next stitch in the pattern[/B] is what anchors it, you don’t knit a stitch too.

6

light blub Thanks, both of you!!! That makes perfect sense now. It was the YO that was throwing my stitch count off. I really appreciate it.