HELP! Struggling with decrease instructions on Drops knitting pattern

#1

This is my first garment after knitting a lot of socks and am having problems with knitting instructions especially since it doesn’t have a diagram. The pattern is Bayou Belle https://www.garnstudio.com/pattern.php?id=10919&cid=17 and I completed the ribbing which is 84 stitches. But confused with the next set of decrease instructions that read:

1 edge stitch in garter stitch, knit 82-94-100-106-118-130 and decrease 14-20-18-18-22-22 stitches over these stitches, 1 edge stitch in garter stitch = 70-76-84-90-98-110 stitches.

A) Do I start on the RS and do an edge stitch - SSK - knit - P2TOG - edge stich?
Then I flip to the WS and do the same and continue until I’ve decrease 14 stitches? (7 rows)

OR…

B) do I start on RS, edge stitch - SSK - knit - P2TOG - edge stitch, flip to WS, edge stitch - purl - edge stich and do all the decreases on the RS - which would take me 14 rows to complete the decreases?

the instructions continue: "Continue with stockinette stitch and 1 edge stitch in garter stitch on each side until the piece measures 21-23-24-25-26-27 cm = 8¼"-9"-9½"-9¾"-10¼"-10⅝" and the next row is from the right side". REMEMBER THE KNITTING GAUGE!

I understand that I’m to continue the stockinette to 21 cm length which defines the length of the garment. Why are the instructions saying “REMEMBER THE KNITTING GAUGE”? I’m not sure why that’s important later on in the creation of the garment.

Any help you can provide would be gratefully received.

#2

Hello
That’s a pretty top you’re making.

The instruction is asking you to decrease by 14 all on one row, this is the transition row between the rib section and the main body and often the stitch count changes here. The 14 decreases need to be spread evenly across the row, and only within those 82 sts (not the full 84 as you need to leave the edge stitch as it is).
There is a handy kntting calculator here
https://www.worldknits.com/knitting-calculators
Where you can input your numbers and it will work out how to decrease (or increase) evenly. Scroll down to make sure you ind the decrease calculator.
If you input current stitch count 82, number of stitches to decrease 14, the line of instruction is:
K2, (k2tog, k4) 6 times, k2tog, k3, (k2tog, k4) 6 times, k2tog, k1

I quite often like to work these out myself as I prefer my decreases to appear on the purl stitch as I personally think it hides the decreases a little, but the calculator is super useful!

Drops patterns always have a reminder about the gauge. I think it comes at this point because you need to work the correct number of rows for your own gauge, what younhave produced jn your swatch, and not just calculate the number of rows based on the pattern gauge. It is perhaps a recognition that we don’t all hit stitch and row gauge so we tend to focus more on stitch gauge even if our row gauge is out. The when working the pattern that needs to be the right size there is a measurement rather than a specific number of rows to work.
Hope that makes sense.

If you have any trouble with this decrease row or the rest of the pattern do ask again.

#3

Thank you thank you thank you!
I never would have thought that the decrease was in 1 row without your help.
I’m sure as I get to the armholes & neck, I’ll have more questions but this will get me through a couple more days of knitting.
I really appreciate it!

#4

You’re very welcome.
I’m quite used to patterns for tops and sweaters but
can still get confused myself when I come across something new to me. I can’t knit socks so you are way ahead of me there!

We’d love you to share your progress or a pic of the finished project when you get there too.