Help with Debbie Bliss Baby Shorts Pattern Please!

#1

I am trying to knit the baby shorts from Debbis Bliss’ Essential Baby.
I have casted on 72 and did 10 rows of 1x1 rib. Now I am supposed to: k6, turn, sl 1, p to end , then the next row is k12, turn, sl 1, p to end, then k18, turn, sl 1, p to end, and so on (so, I am essentially working short rows, I guess, as I am shaping the back of the shorts). Well, if I follow these instructions, I get big weird gaps in my work where I turned. I know how to knit, turn my work, slip stitches and purl, but its just not coming out right. I feel like the pattern is missing something or implying something that I am not catching…Am I supposed to be wrapping and turning? If I do I will throw off the stitch count. Anyone dealt with this before?

#2

In order to fill in the holes created when you turn, you need to apply a short row technique. Either the turn and wrap method, or the turn and yarn over method. Both are a way to essentially insert an extra loop, which when you finally come back across it after the short row shaping, you will then do a k2tog essentially closing off the hole. There are tutorials for each here.


http://nonaknits.typepad.com/nonaknits/2005/04/yarn_over_short.html

#3

Thanks. I was figuring I probably needed to do wrap and turns instead of just turns… Do pattern often just tell you to turn without wrapping and you just assume you should wrap and turn?

#4

Yes, it has been my experience that patterns just assume you know to do that. Which, in my opinion, is not a very nice way to help out new knitters trying new stuff. A good designer should, in either the directions or abbreviations, tell you which method they used. Or, be specific if they really DON’T want you to do this.