Help reading pattern

I am working on a project that is my most ambitious to date. It’s been great! I’ve learned how to make bobbles and cables but now it’s time for some shaping and I am getting a little lost.

The pattern reads:
1st row: pl, *p3, c4b, p4, rep from *to end.
2nd row: *k4, p4, k3, rep from * to last st, k1.
3rd row; p1, * p3, k4, p4, rep from * to end.
4th row: k4, p4, k3, rep from * to last st, k1.
From 1st to 4th row sets patt.
Keep continuity of patt as set proceed as follows:
next row: patt 1, p2tog, patt 7, * p2tog, patt 9, rep from * to last 13 sts, p2tog, patt 8, p2tog, patt 1. Work 5 rows more without shaping.

I’ve completed the first four rows and am now at the bit where I am to start purling things together.
Do I purl the first stitch or start working the pattern between the *'s of line one?
When it says patt 1, does that mean one stitch? I’m really confused

thanks!

Yes, ‘patt X’ is working the pattern over that many sts. The ‘next row’ starts with working the pattern over 1 st, p2tog, then the pattern over 8 sts, [I]then[/I] you start the repeats of p2tog and work the pattern over 9 sts.