Pattern decrease instruction Help—please?

How-to Questions
1

I’m a new knitter and am ready to rip my hair out :hair: at these cryptic decrease instructions in my Rowan pattern. I sorted out the front and back and now I’m stuck at the sleeves. They’re raglan. I thought after the front and back I had figured these instructions all out. Nope. Still a novice :slight_smile:

Instructions: (starting with 62 sts) Begin with a knit row, work in st st, dec 1 st at each end of 2nd and 17 foll 3rd rows, then on foll 2 alt rows (22 sts).

What’s throwing me is the term “2nd”. Is this not the same as “next” row? Or is it handled differently? I’m concerned I’m interpreting this wrong. Do I start my 1st of the 17 decrease rows on the 3rd row as written below:

Knit 1 row and make decreases on rows 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, 39, 42, 45, 48, 52, I understand the dec on foll 2 alt rows bit.

Or, is it as follows:
Row 1: Knit (62 sts)
Row 2: Purl, Dec at each end (60 sts)
(Start decreasing every third row, for clarity I’m going to start it as row 1)
Row 1-2: st st
Row 3: Dec at each end (58sts)
Row 4-5: st st
Row 6: Dec at each end (56 sts)
Row 7-8: st st
Row 9: Dec at each end (54 sts)
Row 10-11: st st
Row 12: Dec at each end (52 sts)
And, so on for 13 more times. I understand the decreases on foll 2 alt rows bit.

I would appreciate any help. I’ve searched the forums and haven’t found this particular question come up. Thanks so much!

2

Hi and welcome to KH!
Sounds like you’re doing very well. The directions are to decrease on the second row, row 2 and then on every 3rd row. It’s not all that different from what you had written but it would be dec on rows 2,5,8,11,14,17,20 etc until you’ve decreased 36sts. Then decrease every other row twice (4 more sts decreased). That’ll bring you to 22sts total left.

3

Hi and welcome.

I take it you’re working each sleeve separately. From what you’ve written out here, I’ve highlighted in red how I read the instructions you provided. That said, one of the experts will likely chime in asking for either a link to the pattern or a picture of it, just to be sure.

I believe their use of 2nd instead of next was to be very specific in their instructions.

HTH

4

Thank you :cheering: thank you :happydance: thank you :muah: for confirming!!!

I figured it was the 2nd option I wrote out, which is what I originally thought they intended and it’s how I made the decreases on the front and back.

Their use of “2nd” threw me off. Started to second guess my logic because in the body decreases they have it written as “Dec 1 st at each end of next row, then on 19 foll 3rd rows”

I started worrying that “Dec 2nd row” meant something special, because they used “2nd” and not “next” like they had on the body.

Thanks again!

5

Thank you! :woohoo: I agree that 2nd is very specific.

And confusing…why not say next? I’m still trying wrap my head around it. :eyes:

I’m making this:
http://www.knitrowan.com/designs-and-patterns/patterns/derwent

I found out the hard way that I was misunderstanding the instructions on the back. Also, learned a lot about decreasing. It’s my first real shaped project. I don’t mind learning through mistakes because I learn those lessons really well.

Thanks again for your input. I appreciate it.

6

Oh, nice pattern!v Lots of shaping and I’m happy you’ve got. Sometimes there are little inconsistencies in patterns.Who knows why.
Post a photo if you’d like. It’d be fun to see this sweater when it’s finished.

7

Thanks! I’m making it in Duck Down color way. I post a pic soon—hopefully! After the sleeves there’s the neckband! I’ve not picked up stitches before(in knitting anyways, crochet I’ve got) Would love to get this finished in the next week or so. Now that I’m understanding the directions things are going much better. An added bonus is that all the ripping back has increased my skills. Thanks so much for your help.

8

Lovely sweater!:heart: Hope to see a picture of yours when you’re done…

Why 2nd and not next? Technical writing guidelines vary from publisher to publisher. It’s the old “I write to-may-to, you write toe-mah-to” in action. :wink:

9

Finished the sweater. Thanks so much to everyone for the help. I learned a lot on this one. I’ve linked to my picture on Ravelry…hopefully it will show up :slight_smile:

http://images4-d.ravelrycache.com/uploads/SugarRoyale/217396361/DuckDownDerwent-hero_medium2.jpg

10

That turned out really great! :thumbsup: Good for you!!!

11

Thanks! Couldn’t have done it with out the help I got here. Great site!!!

12

It is a great site, probably responsible for a large number of new knitting addicts every day. :thumbsup: IMO your lovely work deserves a thread of its own in the What’ca Knittin’? forum. More people will see it then.

13

Wonderful sweater and in such a beautiful color! Very nicely done. SugarRoyale. Enjoy wearing it.