Help needed!

#1

I am trying to knit a sweater following pattern 1977 from Sirdar.

I did the back fine, then started on the front… and there I have stalled.

Ok, here’s the problem:
I start off with 78 st and 9 rows of 2x2 rib. This is okay but then on the 10th row it all goes wrong. At the end it says you should have 72st but I still have 78. What has happened?

I’ve repeated the pattern exactly as it is printed in the hope that someone can offer a long-hand (every st I should do) version so I can check my reading of the pattern:

10th Row (for 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th sizes only):
P [2:2:4:4], p2tog, (p[6:5:8:8], p2tog) [1:2:1:1] times, p [7:5:7:7], (inc in next st purlways) twice, p [2:1:1:1], 9p2tog, p[5:6:7:8]) [2:3:3:1] times, p2tog, p[6:0:2:10], (p2tog) [1:0:0:1] times, p [2:0:0:9], (p2tog) [0:0:0:1] times, (inc in next st purlways) twice, p[7:6:7:7], p2tog, (p [6:5:8:8], p2tog) [1:2:1:1] times, p [2:2:4:4]. [66:72:78:82] sts.

I’m following the 2nd set of instructions within these, for the 4th size in the pattern.

I’m sorry if its confusing… but at this rate the sweater won’t fit Aaron anymore by the time its done :frowning: and I’d have liked to finish it before he outgrows it completely)

Many thanks
Rach / weedy

#2

i counted 6 times the instruction [B]p2tog[/B] which means you have to purl 2 sts together as one.
if you do so, you will end up with 72 sts at the end.

#3

10th Row (for 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th sizes only):
P [2:2:4:4], p2tog,
(p[6:5:8:8], p2tog) [1:2:1:1] times,
p [7:5:7:7], (inc in next st purlways) twice,
p [2:1:1:1],
[U]9[/U] (p2tog,p[5:6:7:8]) [2:3:3:1] times,
p 2tog, p[6:0:2:10], (p2tog) [1:0:0:1] times,
p [2:0:0:9], (p2tog) [0:0:0:1] times,
(inc in next st purlways) twice,
p[7:6:7:7], p2tog,
(p [6:5:8:8], p2tog) [1:2:1:1] times,
p [2:2:4:4]. [66:72:78:82] sts.

I’m assuming the 9 in the sixth line down is a typo and it really should be an open parenthesis. I get 10 p2tog and 4 increase sts so that you end up with 6 decrease sts or 72sts total.

#4

Hi pitzikat and salmonmac, I really was beginning to wonder if I was losing it! Thanks for your swift responses. I’ll have another go when the kids have gone to bed later. I realize that yes the 9 should’ve been a ( instead. An example of my frustration!! (I’m usually a very good typist!)

#5

I tried it again yesterday evening but still to no avail. Will keep at it! xx

#6

The row that you quote only accounts for 76sts instead of 78sts. If that’s exactly the way the pattern reads, then there’s an error in the pattern. I would put an extra purl st into the p5 making it p6 and later into the p6 making it p7.
Or, you could just decrease 6 sts spaced out over the 78sts that you have on the needle now. After all, it’s all purl sts. See how that works with the next row of pattern.

#7

I assume this rather confusing row instruction is to accommodate the cabling pattern that starts in the next row and goes up either side of the sweater.

My knitting friends say that cabling pulls in sometimes so you have to inc sts either end of that section to not make it pull in too much, is this true?

I am slightly annoyed because I got the pattern on the basis that it was said to be fairly easy…

At risk of being a total pain, could you suggest a st by st of what I should do if I follow the instructions given, including your amendment to make it 78 sts in total??

#8

Many apologies to the pattern. I was wrong. I read the increase in the next st purlways twice as increase 2 times in one st but it doesn’t mean that. It wants you to increase one st in the next st and then increase one st in the folowing st. Since that direction occurs two times, that’s where I was missing 2sts. Sorry for the confusion. I’ve organized the pattern leaving out the directions that were 0 for your size. It all adds up.

10th Row (for 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th sizes only):
P [2:2:4:4], p2tog,
(p[6:5:8:8], p2tog) [1:2:1:1] times,
p [7:5:7:7], (inc in next st purlways) twice,
p [2:1:1:1],
(p2tog,p[5:6:7:8]) [2:3:3:1] times,
p 2tog,
(inc in next st purlways) twice,
p[7:6:7:7], p2tog,
(p [6:5:8:8], p2tog) [1:2:1:1] times,
p [2:2:4:4].
[72] sts.