Knitting language - lost in translation

How-to Questions
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Hello,

I’m desperate to get some help to understand this pattern. The problem is that while I consider myself to be an experienced (although a bit rusty) Knitter I’m used to the German knit language, it’s abbreviations and the continental way of knitting. Recently I got my hands on this lovely pattern for a blanket which is meant to be simple enough for beginners but is written and abbreviated in English. Although I worked out what the abbreviations means I struggle to understand the pattern since the stitches don’t seem to add up. In particular I’m struggling with yfw K2 (if that means loop the yarn forward (or yo) and than knit 2 why doesn’t it say yfw K3 since the stitch after the K2 is another K1. K2tog I expect simply means knit 2 together but I’m totally getting confused when I get to Row 5 which, when I count the stichtes seems to grow by 4 extra - probably because I’m misinterpreting the instructions. Instead of rambling on I’d better write down the pattern:

Cast on 18 sts (do I have to add on a pair of end sts?) work 20 rows
1st Row - K2, P1, K6, P1, K6, P1, K1
2nd Row - P2, K1, P6, K1, P6, K1, P1
(So far so good)
3rd Row - K2, P1, K1, K2tog, yfw K2, K1, P1, K1, K2tog, yfw K2, K1, P1, K1 (yfw K2, K1???)
4th Row - same as 2nd Row
5th Row - K2, P1, K2tog, yfw K1, yfw sl1, K1, psso, K1, P1, K2tog, yfwd K1, yfw sl1, K1, psso, K1, P1, K1 (I can’t make any sense of this without gaining 4 stitches?!??)
6th Row - same as 2nd Row

Rep rows 1 - 6 2 more times.

Could someone from the knitting community please explain rows 3 and 5 to me?? Ideally if someone could translate this into German or otherwise try the Dummie approach. I have tried mapping the pattern out, counting the stitches, various interpretations to end up with the same number of stitches but I must admit defeat :weary:

Please please help

Medea

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2

It is indeed a lovely blanket and worth the trouble.
Rows 3 and 5 add up to 18sts. The increases (yarn overs) and the decreases (k2tog or slip one, k1, pass slipped stitch over) balance out.

3rd Row - K2, P1, K1, K2together, yarn over needle to the back, K2, K1, P1, K1, K2tog, yarn over, K2, K1, P1, K1
There are 2 increases and 2 decreases.

5th Row - K2, P1, K2tog, ,yarn over, K1, yarn over, slip 1, K1, pass slipped stitch over and off the needle, K1, P1, K2tog, yarn over, K1, yarn over, slip 1, K1, pass slipped stitch over, K1, P1, K1
There are 4 increases and 4 decreases.

As to why the designer has written the k2, k1, I don’t know. Perhaps some whim of the pattern editor or maybe something else happening latter on?
You can add edge sts if you’d like but remember to account for them in the stitch number.

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Thank you so much for your response - I look forward to giving it a try tomorrow! At least now each row adds up to 18 sts!!

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