Hi all, I’m in desperate need of help to read a pattern. I have to increase and decrease to make the central panel wider but if I follow the pattern as it says, it doesn’t increase in width. I’m sure I’m missing the obvious! Pattern reads…
Keeping continuity of patt as set work 58 rows more. Working 1 stitch less in rev st-st and 2sts more in centre double moss-st in 9th and every 10th row.
So I’ve been decreasing at each side in the rev st-st and increasing in the middle on the rows mentioned. However, it never increses in width so I know I’m doing something wrong.
Please help!!!
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Welcome to KH!
What is the name of your pattern and designer?
If you decrease one stitch each side (-2) and increase 2sts in the center moss (+2) then there won’t be a change in stitch count. Check the beginning of the pattern where there may be a note on how to work decreases and increases.
Knowing the pattern and designer will help us figure this out. If you think it might help, you could also post a photo of a couple of rows. Don’t give us a large portion of the pattern please due to designer copyright.
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As it’s double moss stitch, does this mean increase 2 stitches either side of centre? This would give an overall increase of 2 stitches per increase row, and a smoother change to the double moss stitch? Have you a picture of the finished item?
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Hi 
I’ve included two photo’s one so you can see how the centre panel is supposed to widen and then one of how the first increase happens in row 11. Becuase you have to follow the pattern the centre panel will never increase, so I’m guessing I have to modify the pattern some how?
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James C Brett JB752
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The central panel is going to increase when you work the m1 on either side of the moss stitch. The reverse stockinette is going to decrease as you work the p2tog or p2togtbl, one on each rev st st panel. The total stitch count will stay the same.
Regardless, the central panel will increase. To accommodate these increases, the side panels will decrease in order to maintain the stitch count.
Beautiful use of cables and stitch patterns. This is going to be a gorgeous sweater!
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That’s what I thought, but I must be doing something wrong as this is what it looks like. Im following the pattern but the center panel isn’t widening. Am I supposed to carry the increase and decrease through all the rows and the keep adding another lot of increases and desreases when I get to the rows specified? For example…
For row 9 of the 58 I increase and decrease then add this in to all rows and then when I get to row 19 I add 4 increases and 4 decreases, row 29 6 increases and 6 decreases and so on? My centre panel only shows 3 moss stitch across but on the pattern you can see it shows 6. I’m so confused 
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The central panel should increase by 2sts at each repeat in row 9 and then every 10th row. The number of repeats of the m1’s won’t increase but the sts between the cables will.
Each time you repeat the moss stitch increases, the moss stitch will widen that central panel. How are you working the increase stitches on the following rows? Are you working the increases into the moss pattern? The m1 is formed by lifting the running strand between the sts on either side. I don’t see those m1’s.
What is the stitch count across the last row of your knitting?
The pattern for row 11 shows …C4B, P1, m1, P2, (K2,P2) twice, m1, P1, C4F… where there’s 10sts in moss between the m1’s.
ETA: Since the increases are carried up the rows, you will accumulate increases as you work the rows. So you may have one increase stitch each side after the 11th row which becomes part of the moss pattern. Then on the 9th following row there will be another single increase each side so that looking at the panel overall there will now be 2 increases each side (the one from row 11 and the one from 9th following row).
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Is there an error in row 12? @salmonmac @Mel61 what do you think?
I think this should read K29 not K30
Row 11 has the rev stockinette decreasing by a stitch, K28, P2tog which uses 30 sts and leaves 29.
The following rows (58 more in patt) would need to be altered for the reduced stitch count each time a dec is made (rows 9, 19, 29, 39, 49) so something like this
Rows 1 to 8 there would be P29 on the RS and K29 on the WS at beg and end of the rows.
Row 9 (dec and inc row) would be P27, p2tog [and the rest of the row] ending with P2tog tbl, P27
Rows 10 to 18 would be P28 on RS, K28 WS beg and end of row
Row 19 (dec and inc row) P26, P2tog […] P2tog tbl P26
Rows 20 to 28 would be P27 RS, K27 wrong side
…and so on.
Whilst I know knitters are expected to maintain a pattern, if a row has an incorrect stitch count it can really throw off the understanding of the shaping.
@Kelly2 there are a few tricky things going on at once on this sweater. Do you have some stitch markers, or you could use yarn loops on the needle, to help maintain the pattern.
The 2 lines salmonmac has drawn (each side of the original 10 st moss stitch) are ideal places for stitch markers, your moss stitch must pattern with continuity between these 2 markers. The outside of these markers there will be an increased stitch (initially it is M1 knit, with it being purled in the wrong side) andnyou need to take into account this extra stitch, not just begin the p2 (k2 p2)twice on this increased stitch.
There are some other places ideal for markers too but i won’t go into more detail now in case you are already aware.
Also because i already said quite a lot.
It’s a great design, worth frogging back to before the increase to get right as it’s going to be a stunner.
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I’m picking up the loop between the stitches as it says in the pattern.
The last row should be
The thing I’m struggling with is that the decreases also get erased when continuing in pattern as after the decrease in row 11 I go back to knitting 30 at each end?
I apologise, you’re being so very patient with me!
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The rev st st sts at each end are going to change in number because of the decreases worked in row 9. They can’t disappear.
So on the next RS row (call it row 13) you’ll have k29 instead of k30. Then proceed with the pattern sts until after the twists and the cables where the central moss panel will have one extra stitch each end.
This means that rather than depending on the stitch counts at the rev st st and center panel, you’ll have to read your knitting, that is, look at the stitch pattern and decide how the sts should be worked accounting for the increases and decreases.
An alternative is the write out the rows or use a spreadsheet to keep track of these changes. It’s tedious but will work.
We all want to see you succeed with this pattern. Don’t hesitate to keep asking until it all makes sense.
@Creations it looks like the way the pattern is written on the WS rows. If I use the cable sts (RS C4F or C4B and WS P4) as markers it adds up correctly.
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I think I’m getting it, slowly 
. I will take the time to write it out so I can visualise it, hopefully this will help. I’m sure to be back! Thank you so much for your time and kindness, I’m determined to succeed
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This time is the charm. Have fun with it!
Isn’t this because the raised side cables move back and forth as the pattern progresses?
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Yes, you’re right, and salmonmac corrected my thought by pointing out the alignment from the C4 cable.
I’d personally find it easier to follow if the pattern broke down the sections, if one of the K30 ‘belongs to’ the T3F zigzag section I’d rather it was worded, or punctuated, differently.
Thanks
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Hi everyone, thank you all so much for commenting and your advice, I really appreciate it. I’ve decided to do a practice run with a different yarn so I can work through the rows without worrying if i mess it up!
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That’s a good way to work this kind of pattern, worth the time and effort. When you knit the sweater itself you’ll be set to go. Take good notes!
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Evening all, quick one @salmonmac @Creations I’ve been fretting over these increases and decreases (silly really!). Anyhoo, I’ve finally put pen to paper, does this look right to you? For this practice I’m using the smallest size.
Row 9 (as it is normally)
P13 T3F P2 T3F P3 K4 P1 K4 P1 (K2 P2) twice K2 P1 K4 P1 K4 P3 T3B P2 T3B P13
Row 9 (decrease/increase)
P11 P2tog T3F P2 T3F P3 K4 P1 K4 P1 m1 (K2 P2) twice K2 m1 P1 K4 P1 K4 P3 T3B P2 T3B P2togtbl P11
So Row 10 (as it is normally)
K14 P2 K3 P2 K3 P4 K1 P4 K1 (P2 K2) twice P2 K1 P4 K1 P4 K3 P2 K3 P2 K14
Row 10 (as it should be now?)
K13 P2 K3 P2 K3 P4 K1 P4 K1 P1- m1 made in the row before P2 K2 P2 K2 P2 P1- m1 made in the row before K1 P4 K1 P4 K3 P2 K3 P2 K13
Apologies if this just sounds like waffling!
The 12 rows set the pattern. That means that you will be decreasing and increasing on the following pattern row 9 and then every 10th row. That would be rows 7,5,3 in the pattern rows. Consecutively numbering the rows starting at row 9 as row 1 that would be rows 1,11,21,31, and so on. All the changes in stitch number will be on RS rows (odd number rows).
It’ll help to make a chart with the row numbers running consecutively along side the repeating pattern row numbers 1-12.
The row that you’ve written out as row 9 looks good. The next pattern row to write out is row 7 and it will have the decreased and increased sts from row 9 in the row as well as the additional decreases and increases.
You’ve got the idea! Keep it going and it’ll work out beautifully.
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