Help needed with stitch count!

#1

Someone please help me!

I’m making this pattern: Alix’s Prayer Shawl. I was moving along nicely (this is my first lace project) and made it through the first section thinking everything was just fine.

So I get to section B, and I can’t get the stitch count correct. I have counted and recounted, made marks on paper to try to figure out why the stitch count says it is supposed to be what it says on the pattern, but I keep coming up with a different number. Can someone help me figure out why the stitch count on the pattern is what it is?

Here is my specific problem:

Row 1b (the first row of lace knitting, known in this pattern as the first trinity row because of the triples of many stitch maneuvers): B4, ^, [yo, k1, (yo, ssk) three times, k3, (k2tog, yo) three times, k1, yo], ^, k1, [yo, k1, (yo, ssk) three times, k3, (k2tog, yo) three times, k1, yo], ^, B4. (47 sts)

(B4 just counts for 4 sts, just fyi so you don’t have to go search the pattern)

It says at the end that there should be 47 sts by the end of this row. I keep getting 51 sts, no matter what I do. I’m literally at the end of my rope and ready to scrap the whole project already. Maybe I’m just not ready for lace yet :(.

Surely this is not a pattern error, or someone else would have mentioned it on Ravelry. I checked every single project, and no one has mentioned it, so it has to be something I’m doing wrong. Please help?
:zombie:

#2

i just counted it out and i got 47. admitedly i didnt knit it so that could have changed things!

anyway. the bits in square brackets [COLOR=RoyalBlue][yo, k1, (yo, ssk) three times, k3, (k2tog, yo) three times, k1, yo] [COLOR=Black]give you 19 stitches. and you do that twice which is 38 stitche and then there are the knited stitches around the esge which get you to 47. like this:

b4[/COLOR][/COLOR] [COLOR=MediumTurquoise]4[/COLOR] [yo [COLOR=MediumTurquoise]5[/COLOR], k1 [COLOR=MediumTurquoise]6[/COLOR], (yo, ssk) three times [COLOR=MediumTurquoise]12[/COLOR], k3 [COLOR=MediumTurquoise]15[/COLOR], (k2tog, yo) three times [COLOR=MediumTurquoise]21[/COLOR], k1 [COLOR=MediumTurquoise]22[/COLOR], yo [COLOR=MediumTurquoise]23[/COLOR]] k1 [COLOR=MediumTurquoise]24 [/COLOR][yo [COLOR=MediumTurquoise]25[/COLOR], k1 [COLOR=MediumTurquoise]26[/COLOR], (yo, ssk) three times [COLOR=MediumTurquoise]32[/COLOR], k3 [COLOR=MediumTurquoise]35[/COLOR], (k2tog, yo) three times [COLOR=MediumTurquoise]41[/COLOR], k1 [COLOR=MediumTurquoise]42[/COLOR], yo [COLOR=MediumTurquoise]43[/COLOR]] b4 [COLOR=MediumTurquoise]47[/COLOR]
i have written the total number of stitches you [COLOR=RoyalBlue][COLOR=Black]should have after each stitch in [COLOR=MediumTurquoise]blue.

[COLOR=Black]hope that helps.[/COLOR]
[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]

#3

Doesn’t each YO count as 2 stitches since it creates another stitch? Maybe that’s the only thing confusing me and if I sit down and just re-knit it it’ll work better than counting it out on paper. The only problem is, my count is coming out wrong on my knit row also. I have had to rip back to my lifeline 3 times already. I might have to start over just because the yarn isn’t holding up well to being ripped back :(.

#4

Each YO counts as one stitch. I know that prayer shawl also comes with a chart. Sometimes it helps me to look at the chart and not just the written to get the pattern a little better.

#5

The next row has 51 stitches … maybe you are on that row and forgot to cross off the one with 47 ???

#6

You know, I thought about the fact that I was maybe on the wrong row, as my eyes were crossing from reading all the words on the written instructions. Maybe I was going back and forth and got lost in the instructions. I just looked over the chart and it actually made sense to me. I have never knitted from a chart before and thought it would be daunting, but it makes more sense and is easier to read than the written instructions on this particular pattern. I’m going to scrap this idea and go right to the chart and see if I can make it happen with that.

OR Maybe this was just too big of a leap for me and I can’t even do lace yet. I should have at least done it in thicker yarn so I could at least SEE what I’m doing. Now I have to do my first lace project with real lace that’s extremely difficult to frog, and I have to do it in a very short time because I want to give it to the recipient while they are here visiting.

deep breath I’m going to try this again with the chart and see where I end up by tonight. I was getting cocky last night thinking it was going so great after the first section was so easy. Then I got to the “real” stuff. lol

Thank you so much for your help!

#7

Doesn’t each YO count as 2 stitches since it creates another stitch?

It creates a stitch between 2 existing stitches. Are you making the YO as wrap and knit a stitch then going on to the next k1? A YO is just the wrap and doesn’t involved a stitch.

#8

No, I’m just bringing the yarn to the front, then knitting the next stitch. I just assumed since it’s an increase that it meant I should count it as 2 stitches when working it out on paper. I can knit it as it says, but I still have a hard time wrapping my brain around it while trying to work it out and do the numbers. I guess I should just knit it and not worry so much about trying to figure it out.

I did knit that row and came out with the right count, so now on to the next row while holding my breath.

I’m still having NO confidence whatsoever and feeling like I shouldn’t have jumped into this shawl :frowning:

#9

When you are counting it, even though it is not technically a stitch, you will count it as one. So if the pattern is K1, YO, K1- that is counted as three sts, esp. if you are just going to purl it on the other side and it will be knitted as an increase.

#10

Oooooo now that makes sense! Thinking about what I’ll do with it as a stitch on the next row makes it kinda make sense. lol Thank you so much for explaining it that way for me!

I have gotten through several rows now, and I think I’ve figured it out and am doing well and staying right on stitch count. I take a huge sigh of relief every time I finish a row and have the correct st count.

I REALLY appreciate all the help I get here!