I’ve d/l a free pattern for a lacy shell from the Paton’s web site (featured on the inside front cover of the current Vogue Knitting). www.patonsyarns.com/silkbamboo
After dutifully kntting through 7 inches of ribbing, I tried to begin the pattern, which is a simple (?) 4 row lace pattern. It reads:
1st row: (RS). K1. *yfwd. Sl1. K1. psso. K1.
K2tog. yfwd. K1. Rep from * to end of row.
2nd row: Purl.
3rd row: K2. *yfwd. Sl1. K2tog. psso. yfwd.
K3. Rep from * to last 5 sts. yfwd. Sl1. K2tog.
psso. yfwd. K2.
4th row: Purl.
Where I’m stuck is the yfwd followed by a K1 in the first row and the yfwd, K3 in the third row. How on earth does one do that? It just looks like a tangled mess. I checked their web site this morning to see if there was a correction, but nope.
You’ll do the first knit one, then yarnover, slip 1, knit 1, then pass the slipped stitch over the knit 1, continue the row.
It may take 2-3 repeats of the pattern to really start looking like something. It might be a good idea to take some spare yarn and practice the stitch pattern over fewer stitches. 14 stitches should give you 2 pattern repeats, if I’m counting correctly.
Where I’m stuck is the yfwd followed by a K1 in the first row and the yfwd, K3 in the third row.
You can think of the yfwd as a yarn over, but you can also just think of it as bringing the yarn forward, because that is all you do in both of these cases. In row 1 after you do the knit 2 together just bring the yarn to the front between the tips of the needles and knit the next stitch from that position. If you need to you can hold the yarn with your index finger of your right hand so that it stays at the top of the needle as you knit the stitch, but you may not feel any need to do that.
In row 3 after you have done the slip one, knit 2 together and passed the slipped stitch over the result of the k2tog, you just bring the yarn to the front between the needle tips and knit the first of the 3 stitches you are going to knit. Again you may need to hold the yarn to the top of the right hand needle as you knit the first stitch.
Some people have gotten the idea that a yarn over is bringing the yarn to the front and knitting the next stitch (no fault of the people, the directions give it that way in some cases), but a yarn over is just moving the yarn to the front in this sort of situtation where what you did last has the yarn in back (like a knit stitch or in this case K2tog, or K2tog and psso). Maybe that is why they used yfwd here instead of yo or maybe because they are Canadian.
Marilyn’s idea of practicing on a little sample before you tackle a whole row is a good one. I tried the pattern out. It is a multiple of 6 stitches plus 1. So if you use 13 you will get through the pattern stitch 2 times on row 1. On row 3 you do one full pattern and end with the 5 like it says you need to do at the end of a row. I’d use 13 or go one more repeat and use 19 stitches. The stitch count should stay even after each row.
Your’s and Mirl56’s explanations were really helpful! I didn’t realize they were Canadian; thanks for translating, Meanwhile, wanting to get going on this, I’ve substituted the little lace pattern from the February Lady sweater which seems to work OK. Plus, I’m knitting in the round for awhile to avoid all those purls. I think those armholes are pretty deep so I’ll revert to back & forth before I get to them. Thanks again!
Meanwhile, wanting to get going on this, I’ve substituted the little lace pattern from the February Lady sweater which seems to work OK. Plus, I’m knitting in the round for awhile to avoid all those purls. I think those armholes are pretty deep so I’ll revert to back & forth before I get to them. Thanks again!