Help with a mitten pattern-

#1

I decided to start knitting mittens for a charity and I have never knitted mittens before. I am having difficulty with the gusset on this pattern- it is a pattern for childrens’ mittens in The Elegant Knitter.

It says-
work thumb gusset: knit 15 sts, place marker, inc 1, k1, inc 1, place marker, k to end of round.

In this manner, inc 2 sts within markers every 3 rounds, 2 times, and every four rounds 2 times. (Total gusset sts 11).

Huh? Am I wrong in thinking there are five sts in the “work the thumb gusset” and with the additional sts 2 times and again 2 times that I end up with 13 sts and not 11.

I figure if they are counting the sts in the markers as three and then the increases would make 11, but it isn’t three sts. With the inc. that makes a set of 2 sts.

To me- inc 1 (2), k1(3), inc 1(5). . .

So is this errata or am I misinterpreting the inc 1 sts in the count of sts?

Thanks

#2

It depends on the definition of ‘inc 1’. Lets start with the 11 sts and go backwards. You inc 10 sts total including the first round, so you have to start with 1. That would mean you do a M1 inc, k1, M1 on the first round, not a kfb for the inc. Then inc 2 on another 4 inc rounds to end up with 11.

#3

I didn’t even think of that. I did a kfb inc, not thinking this would be what is goofing up the count. I will do a make 1 inc.

The designer does not specify in her pattern which it should be, and when I look at the glossary or abbreviations at the back she has-

inc.- increase
.
.
.
and. . . m1- make 1

am thinking she needs to specify this in the pattern so that it doesn’t get misconstrued.

I will start it all over again with m1 increases this time. Thank you so much!

#4

Yep, that’s very vague; if she meant m1 she should have said so, and also how to do it.