Need help understanding pattern

#1

OK I’m confused.

I’m currently on a knit row in stockinette stitch.

The pattern now says:

–
Dec one st at each end of next row and 2 foll 3rd rows, then on foll alt row. 14 sts.
P 1 row.
cast off.

I’m confused. I’m guessing “2 foll 3rd rows” means rows 4 and 7.

“foll alt row” so far has meant a purl row. But now its telling me to purl one row after I decrease on an “alt” row.

#2

You decrease 1 stitch each end of knit row,p 1 row,k 1 row, p1 row, decrease 1 stitch each end of knit row. Purl 1 row. Then the alternate row would still be a knit rowand you would decrease 1 stitch at each end. There has to be 7 decrease rows total to get to the 14 stitches decreased. The pattern should say whether you do more than one decrease row on every 3rd row or multiple decreases on the alt. row.

#3

oh I should have mentioned- I currently have 22 sts- decreasing to 14 (so 4 decrease rows, 8 total sts decreased)

I’m thinking it may be :
1 K Dec one on each end
2 P
3 K
4 P Dec one on each end
5 K
6 P
7 K Dec one on each end
8 P Dec one on each end
9 K
10 P 1 row
11 K bind off

I’d be adding an extra knit row so that I can decrease on a purl row and still purl 1 row… I think this will just make the bear slightly longer and hopefully it won’t make any difference as long as I do both front and back the same. I guess I’ll find out when I try and sew it together.

This pattern is written in a very confusing manner. I wish they just numbered all the rows and said which ones they wanted the decreases on.

the pattern is the Bear from the Noro Collection book by Debbie Bliss.

#4

What you just said sounds almost right. I’d say you should -
1 K Dec one on each end
2 P
3 K
4 P Dec one on each end [I](though decreases are more often done on K rows, but this IS the third row after the last dec row)[/I]
5 K
6 P
7 K Dec one on each end
8 P
9 K Dec one on each end [I](This is where I differ from you, because THIS is the alternate row after your last decrease.)[/I]
10 P 1 row
11 K bind off

If you decrease on row 7 and then again on row 8, the decreasing would be too sharp.

#5

Hi Molly, yeah that’s true, the decrease would be very sharp if I decreased on rows 7 and 8. Well. if that’s what they meant, it’s annoying b/c so far in the pattern every time it said “foll alt row”, it was a purl row.

I will try your suggestion. Thanks.