Teddy bear help

How-to Questions
1

Hello-

I am working on a pattern for a teddy bear and I am stuck on a line of the pattern. Working on the body of the teddy and have gotten partway through the face shaping section.
41 sts on the needle
14th row states: P20, cast/bind off 1 st, p20.
15th row states: On 20 sts, k18, k2tog. 19 sts. (this is the row I don’t understand)
16th row states: P2tog, p17. 18 sts.

On row 15, what does “on 20 sts, k18” mean? How do I get from 40 to 19 sts on that row?

I have only been knitting for a couple of years and have not seen this before. Thanks.

2

It looks like you’re dividing the stitches on the needle into two separate sections. You’ll have 20, bind off one, and 20. The two 20-stitch sections are knit separately at this point, so work the first set of 20 as written, leaving the other 20 on the needle for later.

3

That could have been better written as simply - k18, k 2tog, 19
sts on R needle. Turn and working over these sts, p2tog, p17.