Help needed with lace pattern as I am somehow decreasing sts

How-to Questions
1

Hi, I thought I would try a more ambitious project than I normally do and am trying to knit a lace scarf. It also has a matching hat & poncho. Anyway I am trying to follow the instructions but instead of having the same number of stitches at the end of it I am losing several. The Pattern is as follows:
CO 20 sts loosely, Row 1 (RS) - P2; *yrn, p4tog; rep from * to last 2 sts, p2. Row 2 - K2; *k1, k1-p1-k1 into yrn of previous row; rep from * to last 2 sts, k2. Row 3 - K all stitches.
Rep these 3 rows for Main patt throughout. Work until piece meas 170cm from beg, end with a row 2 of patt. Cast off loosley.

Well I cast on 20 ok. I think I did row 1 correctly - I p2, wound the yarn twice so that I was in the position to p, pearled 4 stitches together and so on until the last 2 which I pearled. …
What am I doing wrong???Please help. :pout:

2

It’s likely that you’re not supposed to have the same number of stitches after the first row, since you’re increasing less than you’re decreasing.

I come up with 12 left after the first row, but can only come up with 17 after row 2.

Maybe somebody else can figure this out a better way. :??

3

I, too, come up with 12 stitches following row 1. With 20 stitches, the … is repeated 4 times, so you have the P2 at the beginning, then *yrn, p4tog; repeated 4 times is a total of 8 stitches once worked, then P2 at the end for a total of 12 stitches after row 1 is complete.

Then row 2. K2 at the beginning, then *k1 (k1p1k1) into yrn of previous row; repeated 4 times = 16 stitches total, then K2 at the end for a total of 20 stitches after row 2 is complete.

I think you might have a problem where you say that you wound the yarn twice for the ‘yrn’. For a yrn (same as a yo in this case) between two purl stitches you just bring the yarn to the back by putting it over the right needle, then return it to the front by bringing it under the right needle. You’re then in the position to purl and you have only made 1 extra loop over the right needle. Then in the next row where it says to (K1P1K1) into yrn, you will knit the loop made by the yrn, don’t slip the loop off the left needle yet, bring the yarn forward and purl the same loop, bring the yarn back and knit the same loop again and THEN slip the original loop off the left needle. This way you’re making 3 stitches where there was 1 originally, and you are making up for the decreases made in row 1.

4

thanks ladies I will have another try when I get a chance and let you know how I get on.

5

I knew what I was supposed to end up but just wasn’t sure how to do it. Thanks for making it clearer. Even though I had read on the pattern to knit into the previous row (in row 2) I hadn’t twigged that I was supposed to knit into the yarn over from the previous rows 3 times before swapping it from the left needle to the right. I knew I had to make 3 stitches out of 1 but couldn’t work out how. Anyway I’ve got it now, so once again, thank you. :cheering: