We’re trying to knit this hat & don’t understand all the directions.
In the directions, they have a slip stitch pattern & say it’s a ‘multiple of 2 stitches plus 1.’ What does that mean?
It has ‘Decrease row 1, right side.’ How do we do the ‘right side’?
It says, ‘Knit 2, [knit 2 together, knit 2].’ Does this mean we knit 2, then knit 2 together, then knit 2?
Thanks.
2 stitches + 1 = 3
4 stitches + 1 = 5
6 stitches + 1 = 7
8 stitches + 1 = 9
Right side means you’re working on the right side, as opposed to the wrong side. Right side is generally the knit side rather than the purl side.
I’d have to see the key to the pattern but I imagine “[knit 2 together, knit 2]” means repeat everything between the []. It’s been an * in the patterns I’ve worked with.
The pattern has asterisks as well as brackets . . . Here’s exactly what it says with the brackets in one case:
Crown Shaping
Decrease row 1 (right side) knit 2, [knit 2 together, knit 2] 16 (17) times, knit 2 together, knit 1 – 52 (56) stitches total.
Work 3 rows even.
So do we repeat what’s in the brackets, or is it explaining more on ‘knit 2,’ or what?
Thanks. We’ve never done a hat before – in fact, this is only our second project – so we’re kind of at a loss.
You repeat just whats in the brackets 16 or 17 times, depending oh which size you’re making. The k2 at the beginning and k2tog, k2 aren’t part of the repeat.
To clarify suzeeq’s typo, “[knit 2 together, knit 2]” is the repeat not the K2 at the beginning or K2tog, K1 at the end.
Don’t you just love pattern speak? I swear sometimes they make it harder than it needs to be on purpose.
Personally I would’ve said use odd numbers instead of multiples of 2 +1 and taken my chances that nobody would right me about a 1 stitch hat not working right.
Whoops, yes, that’s a k1 at the end.
In this instance, I think you could get away with just any odd number rather than being precise about 2 +1.
Decrease row 1: This means that it is the first of the decrease rows. It’s the name they’ve given this row. Nothing for you to do here.
(right side) This is telling you that this row will be the Right Side of your hat. When you sew it together or look at it later, this row will be on the outside.
knit 2 (knit 2 together, knit 2) This is what you will do across this row. Start with knit the first 2 stitches. Then knit the next 2 together as 1. Then repeat what’s inside the brackets across.
knit 2 together, knit 1. This is what you will do for the last 3 stitches.
52 (56) stitches total This is how many stitches you should have on your needles once you finish this row.
Work 3 rows even You will knit the next 3 rows straight with no decreases/increases.
HTH, knitcindy
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:roflhard: A one stitch hat!
Mike, just put a toll free number on your knitting patterns like so many products do these days.
For help with [B]one stitch[/B] patterns, please call 1-888-426-3862 or 1-888-IAM-DUMB.
Since “pictures are worth a thousand words” it can take a lot of word to describe the steps of a pattern in a way that is concise enough to publish yet complete enough to only be completed in the desired way.
knitcindy has already spelled it out quite well. But even so, I will still give you another view of it.
I always think of patterns as formulas. Each row/round has up to four parts:
Row means you are working back and forth (mostly flat except where inc or dec create shaping), with an outside facing (right side) of the fabric and an inside facing (wrong side).
Rounds mean you are working in a round, either a tube shape or a flat circular or spiral shape.
[ol]
[li]“Row/round name or number” followed by the “:” colon symbol. [/li]{“Decrease row 1” in the pattern}
[li]“Beginning stitches if needed.” [/li]{K2 in the pattern}
[li]"(Repeated pattern in the middle) with how many repeats." [B]{[/B]The author may use parentheses () or brackets [] or asterisk * to mark off the repeated stitch pattern.[B]}[/B][/li]{the “[knit 2 together, knit 2] 16 (17) times” in the pattern}
[li]“End stitches of row/round if needed.”[/li]{knit 2 together, knit 1}
[/ol]
Examples:
Stockinette stitch knit across the RS (right side) and purl evenly across the WS. (Reverse ST ST is knit WS and purl RS.)
Garter stitch is knit the RS and knit the WS. (Would you call it reverse garter stitch if you Purl across both RS and WS?)
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