Perplexed about handbag pattern

#1

I’m knitting a handbag from "Luxury Yarn One-Skein Wonders"
It’s on page 128 for anyone who may have the book. It’s a square top purse. The partial directions read as follows:

Cast on 21 stitches. Purl 1 row. Work Rows 1-8 of Knot Stitch pattern, then work Rows 1 and 2.

The Knot Stitch pattern is as follows:
Row 1: *K3, (P3tog, K3tog, P3tog, [COLOR=“Red”]in next 3 stitches[/COLOR]); repeat from * to last 3 stitches.
Rows 2 and all WS rows through 8: Purl
Rows 3 and 7: Knit
Rows 5: K3, *K3(P3tog, K3tog, P3tog [COLOR=“Red”]in next 3 stitches[/COLOR]); repeat from * to last 6 stitches, K6

Here’s my problem: I don’t know what they mean by work Rows 1 and 2. Do they mean Rows 1 and 2 of the Knot Stitch?

Also, I don’t know what is meant by "in next 3 stitches. And, if I knit the first row of the pattern, there isn’t enough stitches for row 5. What am I missing here? Thank you for your help.

#2

(P3tog, K3tog, P3tog, in next 3 stitches) I think you are supposed to P the next 3 sts tog without taking them off the left needle, move the yarn to the front between needles and K the same 3 sts tog again, move the yarn to the back and P them tog one more time, then slip off left needle. That would be using the “next 3 stitches” and do all those things, and it would keep your stitch count to 21 stitches. And you wouldn’t run out of stitches on row 5.

It says: "Row 1: *K3, (P3tog, K3tog, P3tog, in next 3 stitches); repeat from * to last 3 stitches. " But it seems like is should say at the end “*to last 3 stitches, K3”. You will have 3 more at the end to knit after the last “knot”.

Here’s my problem: I don’t know what they mean by work Rows 1 and 2. Do they mean Rows 1 and 2 of the Knot Stitch?
On this question…unless there are other rows right there somewhere called rows 1 and 2 that it could refer to, then it would have to mean to do rows 1 and 2 again of the knot stitch pattern. But there could be two others it means. Look closely for any others. If not then do it that way.

#3

Thank you. That explains a lot!

#4

I think you are supposed to P the next 3 sts tog without taking them off the left needle, move the yarn to the front between needles and K the same 3 sts tog again, move the yarn to the back and P them tog one more time, then slip off left needle.

You’ve got your yarn in the wrong places to knit and purl…

P3tog, move yarn to the back to k3tog, then to the front again to p3togl

#5

You’ve got your yarn in the wrong places to knit and purl…

P3tog, move yarn to the back to k3tog, then to the front again to p3togl

Yes. I see what you mean. Thank you. I appreciate the help.:yay:

#6

Sue is right. I don’t know what happens sometimes with those little details, they go all awry. LOL I was doing it right, just writing it wrong. Sorry to confuse you.