I’m a new knitter, so this might be completely obvious… But I don’t understand a pattern chart. I’m trying to knit a pattern on Ravelry (I can’t link it here, but it’s called the “scalloped table runner”):
It says: Row 1 (WS): k3, etc. Now that’s right so far, except that on the chart (which is on the next page), the first 3 stitches are marked with a plain square, which – according to the description – should mean “k on RS, p on WS”.
So, I thought that “p on WS” means that it should be purled in every odd row (including the 1st). Thus, should I knit, or purl the first 3 stitches in the 1st row? (And this is my problem with the whole chart, I don’t know what to do in the odd rows, since the detailed description and the chart seems to conflict.)
Anyone has any ideas about this?
I think you should follow the chart and not the written directions. Maybe you could e-mail the designer for her input. BTW, the table runner is very pretty!
There is an error in the chart. The first and last 3 stitches should be knit every row according to the written instructions and looking at the picture confirms this.
The ‘blank’ squares for the rest of the chart should be worked in stockinette–knit on rs, purl on ws.
See the changes noted on the first Ravelry page including:
“09/30/10 - Note for the chart page. The symbol key shows an empty box with “k on the RS, p on the WS” text next to it. This should be an empty box with “k” after it. All the empty boxes in chart are knit stitches. The only place to purl is for the center panel, between the stitch markers (odd rows only).”
The edge sts look like garter st so they would certainly be kept in knit throughout. The center panel looks like stockinette so knit on the front, purl on the back.
No one else mentioned this about chart reading… the RS is the side that faces out, WS is the one that faces in. So for a box that says knit on RS, purl on WS it means that the RS rows (usually the odd numbered ones) you knit the st, then on the back rows, (usually the even WS rows) you purl it. A chart is read from R to L on the RS and L to R on the WS. It’s a diagram of how your sts look from the RS, so when you do the WS rows you reverse how you knit them, just like when you turn your work around to work them.