Scarf increases/decreases - number of stitches not adding up

#1

hello!

I am a fairly new knitter and am having trouble with a new scarf pattern I’m trying to tackle. I’m also fairly certain that I’m just doing something wrong that I am not realizing.

The cast on is 43 stitches, and here is row 1:

K1, k2tog, [B]*yo, k1, (yo, sl1-k1-psso) twice, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso[/B], rep from * to last 8 sts, yo, k1, (yo, sl1-k1-psso) 3 times, k1.

The part I have bolded is what I’m having trouble with. It seems that according to the pattern, the bolded part will take 8 stitches. (43 stitches = 3 stitches for k1, k2tog, then 4 repeats of the bolded part, then the last 8 stitches).

The thing is, this takes me more than 8 stitches to do. It takes 12 stitches for me:

1 stitch - yo
1 stitch - k1
1 stitch - yo
1 stitch - sl1
1 stitch - k1
1 stitch - yo
1 stitch - sl1
1 stitch - k1
1 stitch - yo
1 stitch - sl1
2 stitches - k2tog

It seems that sl1-k1-psso and sl1-k2tog-psso are supposed to take one stitch off the main needle. but I don’t know how that is supposed to work. I’ve watched a million videos and it seems like I am doing it correctly, but it still takes me 12 stitches, not 8, to do the bolded part. Please help - what am I doing wrong?

#2

A yo doesn’t use a stitch. Look at the top of the page, click on Increases under the Free Videos and scroll down to the bottom to find the videos for doing a yo. By my count it should work out. HTH

#3

How many are you supposed to have at the end of the row? Can you link to the pattern or give us a pattern name please?

#4

Ahhh! You just turned on the light bulb for me. I was looking up videos on how to do the stitches individually, and was doing a yarnover-knit first before doing the sl1-k1-psso. GOT IT.

So for any other newbies who are having this issue - a yarnover is just bringing the yarn forward first before doing the next stitches in the pattern.

Thank you again.

#5

You know what? You helped me understand. Because I didn’t ever think the yo needed a stitch I always wondered why people did. Now the light comes on. I guess I got lucky and read or saw something that made it clear from the start. Thanks.