help with knitting toe of stocking

How-to Questions
1

I’m almost finished with my first Christmas stocking… and now I’m stuck.
The pattern says:
Shape Toe: Row 1: k 9 k 2 tog, k 1, put a marker on needle, k1, sl 1, k 1, psso, k 16, k 2 tog, k 1, put a marker on needle, k 1 sl 1, k 1, psso, k 9-- 4 sts dec. P 1 row.
Row 3: (K to within 3 sts before marker, k 2 tog, k 1, sl marker, k1, sl 1, k 1, psso) twice, k remaining sts-- 4 sts dec. Repeat last 2 rows 6 times- 14 sts.

My question is: In the parts where it says – 4 sts dec. does the pattern mean that I am supposed to do a 4 stitch decrease? or is it telling me I have already decreased by 4 stitches by following these directions in this row?

Thanks for your help!!!

2

Welcome to the forum!
You’re second thought is correct. The pattern is just summarizing the row and stating that 4 sts have been decreased in the row.

3

Thank you for your help! I had decreased 4 sts in the first row, because I had 4 stitches left after I knit 9. Not sure what went wrong there. Now I am wondering if I should tear it out and try again?

4

You should have 46 sts before starting the decreases and 42sts after the decrease row. Is that what you have?

5

So I tore out back to the beginning of the toe and started again. I counted and you are correct about the number of stitches. Thanks so much! So glad to have found this knitting help forum.

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