Got to the point in a current project where I knew I was going to need your collective help.
I kinda know what the pattern is asking for, and I can see why its asking for it…but I don’t know how to do it…
The pattern print-off states…
Next row (WS): ([U]with left needle[/U], pickup up purl bump of next st, [U]6 rows down[/U], p this st with next st on needle] to end of row
So I understand it wants to me to p 2 stitches together, one being the next st on the needle, and the other being 6 rows down underneath it…to ultimately form a ridge across the knitted material
But how do I pick up the st in the 6th row -> [B]with the left needle[/B]…and how do I identify which purl bump to pick up.
Any one able to throw up a clear pic showing how to identify the purl rows on the WS of a Stockinette st garment, to help me learn how to count down the rows?
Oh,and one more quick Q, to make doubly sure I’m at the stage in the pattern where I think I am…when a pattern says work in St st until work measures 8 inches…is that a loose 8 inches or a pulled tight 8 inches. Currently, if I just let the work hang straight down and put a cloth tape measure up the centre, its just over 7 inches. But if I give it a bit of tension and stretch it, it is 8 inches.
Pattern is here: Wine Cozy
*Next row (WS): (with left needle, pickup up purl bump of next st, 6 rows down, p this st with next st on needle] to end of row
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How do I pick up the st in the 6th row -> with the left needle
Use your right needle to pick up the bump. Place it on your left needle. Then use your right needle to p2tog. It’s the same thing but it always seems much easier this way.
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How do I identify which purl bump to pick up.
You need to count. You’ve been working garter st, so the entire back side is purl bumps. If you look closely there will be a “ridge” which is made up of two rows of opposite facing arcs that appear to almost interlock with each other. This represents 2 purl rows. One of downward facing arcs and the other of upward facing arcs. So, count down 3 ridges (6 rows, 3 up and 3 down arcs). That’s the bump you pick up.
*Any one able to throw up a clear pic showing how to identify the purl rows on the WS of a garter st garment, to help me learn how to count down the rows?
This photo shows 4 ridges, or 8 rows of garter stitch.
http://www.lionbrand.com/faqImages/basicKnit7.jpg
First of all, if you are following the pattern as it is written you were not working garter stitch, but stockinette. Did you do it as given or in garter?
Yes my mistake, typing quicker than brain was functioning…the work is indeed in stockinette, and not garter.
I agree with Rochester Knitter that it is easier to pick up the stitches with the right hand needle and put them on the left hand needle to be worked. If you worked in St st and you are looking at the back side, the Rev St st the stitches will look like this
n
n
n
n
n
n
Starting right under the needle. There is other stuff going on, but don’t look at that. 
Look right under the loop on the needle and see the slightly upside down u shaped bump, the “n”. Right under it there is another and under that another. Start counting at the one right under the needle. That is #1 and count down to the 6th one.
Keeping the working yarn out of your way stick the tip of your RHN into the 6th bump from above it pointing down, just go under that one little strand of yarn and have the needle tip come back out on the front side of the piece just below the 6th bump. IOW down behind the bump and out in front of it. Move your RHN up so that you can transfer that stitch loop onto the LHN. Do that so that the loop goes onto the needle without twisting or anything, straight on with both needle tips facing toward each other. Purl the new loop together with the next stitch.
For a novice all those bumps are hard to deal with. I also noticed as I worked this on a sample that the bumps are a little harder to see as you come to them each time because of the way the work is folding up. If you have light enough yarn and some kind of marker (a quilting marker that erases with water would be perfect) that had no chance of bleeding through and ruining things, you could go across the whole row and mark the bumps you will want to pick up with a tiny mark so that you could identify them easily as you work across the row. 
The very first purl bump in the row is tricky as well. I would find it by looking at the next stitch on the needle, following its bump down 6 bumps and guessing which of the things going along the edge there was the closest to that and work the first stitch there.
Reassurance: It will not be the end of the world if you used the 5th or the 7th purl bump but you do want to use the same bump all the way across.
Oh,and one more quick Q, to make doubly sure I’m at the stage in the pattern where I think I am…when a pattern says work in St st until work measures 8 inches…is that a loose 8 inches or a pulled tight 8 inches. Currently, if I just let the work hang straight down and put a cloth tape measure up the centre, its just over 7 inches. But if I give it a bit of tension and stretch it, it is 8 inches.
On this question… this is for a bottle and from the picture of the bottle cover I’d say the exact length is not critical. Are all such bottles made the same even? Whichever length you like would probably do, or somewhere in the middle for a nice compromise. :lol: If I was doing it I probably would smooth it out a bit, but not stretch it.
HUGE thanks to both of you…you’ve both explained it very clearly. 
Have just done a trial fit on a bottle of red in the kitchen, and I think I might go another few rows before I attempt the ridge…but at least I’m a bit more confident on identifying my n’s and u’s now:)
In the pattern notes they suggest threading some thin sewing cotton through the purl bumps, 6 rows down…and I think that will be a great help, as you say once you’re a few stitches in to it I think it’ll get harder and harder to identify the correct row to be picking up
