Help with a simple pattern!

How-to Questions
1

I’m trying to make Knitty’s Calorimetry. lol, it’s harder than it looks.
The pattern is here http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter06/PATTcalorimetry.html

And the directions that I have actually looked at and don’t understand:
Row 1: Work all sts in 2x2 Rib.

Row 2: Work in 2x2 Rib as set to last 2 sts, turn work.

Row 3: Sl 1, work 3 sts, place marker, work to last 2 sts, turn work.

What do I do with the last two stitches that I don’t work? After I turn it, what stitch do I do? I slip one and work knit, Purlx2 ? or what?
What is the marker for?

LOL, I know you all will be able to figure something out for me. You are great! Thanks In Advance!

2

Okay, I haven’t made the Calorimetry before, but I think I can help.

The pattern is basically a knit 2 then purl 2 and repeat rib knit.

What you want to do is when you get to the last two stitches - leave them unworked and turn the work anyway leaving those two unworked stitches just where they are. You should now have all the stitches but two in your left hand and the two unworked stitches are in your right hand.

For the beginning of the next row, slip the first stitch from the left to right needle; then K2, P1; then place your marker; then P1, K2, P1 etc. until you come to the last two stitches. Then turn your work, leaving the last two stitches unworked as you did above.

When it says to ‘work’ stitches, just follow the K2, P2 rib pattern and think of the markers as placeholders - place them and keep on following the rib pattern where you left off. I think the purpose of the stitch markers are simply that…to help you hold your place.

I hope that helps! Can’t wait to see your finished work…

:muah:

3

First my disclaimer - I have never knit this - thought about it - but haven’t done it.
It is knit in short rows so you leave the two unworked stitches on the left needle and turn the work and then knit Row 4. The markers are to help you keep track of your short rows - they are extremely helpful when knitting in the round. If you don’t have “markers” just make a loop of contrasting yarn and use that. You will move it from one needle to the next with you as you go.

hope that helps you get started. I am bad at explaining knitting in words - I am much more visual.

4

For the beginning of the next row, slip the first stitch from the left to right needle; then K2, P1;

No, you’re slipping the first st of the pair so it should be a x1, y2, whatever comes next in the 2x2 pattern.

5

So since the first stitch is slipped, it should be K1 and then P2 and then back to K2, P2 across to the last two?

Ah okay…as I said, I’ve never done that pattern so I apologize for the error. Thanks for the correction!

6

thanks everyone. I’m still haveing trouble but I believe my short attention span is the issue with the k2p2. lol I seem to some how do fine for a long time, like two rows, and then I somehow alternated the pattern for like two rows and managed to switch back. lol I don’t know what is wrong with me. You help was wonderful though. I totally understand where the pattern is going now but it is frogged (again :wall: ) I’m going to cast on yet again. if this all works out i’m going to make more for xmas presents for friends. they were all c complaining about the stretchy ones from the store that mess up their hair eveytime they take it off or put it on. I was hoping this was as easy as it looked. lol

Thanks again everyone!

7

So since the first stitch is slipped, it should be K1 and then P2 and then back to K2, P2 across to the last two?

If the rib pattern at the first slip st is k2,p2, then yeah, slip 1, k1 and p2. If it’s p2, k2, then slip 1, p1, k2. It’s all about keeping to the pattern that’s been knitted.

8

if I were to k2 p2 all the way across and then turn, do I k2 p2 again? or do I p2 k2? I think that is what I’m messing up.

thanks

9

One hint that would make your knitting easier is to learn to read your stitches. Look at your knitting. Knit stitches are smooth and look like vee’s, purl stitches make a bump. When I was first learning to knit my teacher said that that the purl stitches look like knit stitches wearing a scarf around their necks, (the purl bump). Here is a website with ribbing stithces. Scroll down a little and you will see a picture of K1, P1 ribbing. This is a clear picture showing you the knit stitches (the smooth ones) and the purl stitches (the scarf around the neck ones) http://www.knitsimplemag.com/node/7
Once you learn to tell the two apart your knitting will become a lot easier and you won’t tend to get lost in your pattern. You will no longer have to keep saying to yourself K2, P2 (or what ever rib your doing) and you will just zip right along with your knitting.

10

I’m confused about this exact issue. The first 2 stitches of row 3 were the unknit ones from row 2. They would have been k2 in the pattern.
The first worked stitch on row 3 is the 4th stitch. Should I treat it as a p stitch? Would the pattern on row 3 be 2k(the unknit stitches) then 2p (assuming the slipped stitch would be a pearl and the first worked stitch a pearl?) Then continuing with 2k, 2p etc?