For some reason I thought I was ready to tackle this pattern but after reading through it and getting started I think I have bit off way too much, and the instructions are very confusing hence why I’m stuck and here… with that said … I’m NOT giving up! LOL
Heres where I am (pattern instructions in red)
[FONT=Verdana][COLOR=red][SIZE=3]Cast on 180 sts.
K 1 row. p 1 row.
Row 1 (WS): *K4, work Row 1 of Twin Trees pattern or follow Chart Row 1 for 40 sts; rep from * 3 more times, k4.
Row 2: *P4, work Row 2 of Twin Trees pattern for 40 sts; rep from * 3 more times, p4.
Continue in established pattern following row-by-row instructions for 58 rows, ending with a
RS row.
P 1 row.[/SIZE][/COLOR][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana][COLOR=red][SIZE=3]PATTERN STITCHES
Twin Trees
Row 1 (WS): K12, p4, k8, p4, k12 – 40 sts.
Rows 2-15: K the k sts and p the p sts as they appear.
Row 16: P12, M1, k4, p8, k4, M1, p12 – 42 sts.[/SIZE][/COLOR][/FONT]
Row 16 is where I’m stuck … its not adding up over the 180 stitches.
Help please :passedout:
Wendy[FONT=Verdana][COLOR=red][/COLOR][/FONT][FONT=Verdana][COLOR=red][SIZE=3]
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I think your problem may be in the M1 increase. You can’t use a stitch to make the increase. You have to do it between the stitches by lifting the bar between the stitches and knit into the back of it.
If you’ve been doing a kfb, you’re using a stitch and that will throw your count off.
No the M1b wasnt the problem its where do I add the purl 4’s just at the begining and end OR do I do it after each set of 42? OR do I just knit 42 stitches and repeat until I run out of stitches and dont worry about the count just stop when Im out of 180 stitches?
I imagine that you want to keep the other stitches lined up properly.
:think:
If you
p12, m1, k4, p8, k4, m1, p12, you’ll [I]use[/I] 40 stitches and end up with 42 in each section. Since you’re using 40 stitches, it should work like every other row, but you’ll have 13 stitches in the area where you had 12 before in the next row.
What does the next row have you do?
Next rows are as follows:
[COLOR=red]Row 17 and all remaining WS rows: K the k sts and p the p sts as they appear.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Row 18: P12, k1, M1, k4, p8, k4, M1, k1, p12 – 44 sts.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Row 20: P10, 2/2 PRC, k4, M1, p8, M1, k4, 2/2, PLC, p10 – 46 sts.
[/COLOR]
I really looks like it should work out. You’re adding stitches with the M1’s, and the following rows take them into account.
Where exactly is the problem with Row 16?
I’m sorry I’m not making sense … I’ve frustrated myself LOL
What I need to know is do I just knit it as stated or do I Purl 4 at the beginning and end of that row.
OK, I see what you mean. Sorry I made it more complicated.
It’s hard to say without seeing it, but do you have a border so far at the edge of the afghan?
I just searched for a picture of the afghan, and the one I found was from Mary Maxim. That one appears to have a cable-y border. Is that it?
Can you post a pic? Or if you want, you can PM the pattern and I’ll take a look at it.
I just found the Lion Brand pattern, and it looks like you keep the 4-stitch border all the way around. Does the pattern have you add a fancier border when you’re done?
I just re-read your PM from this morning, and you did mention that it was the LionBrand one.
Whats throwing me I guess is this: [COLOR=red]Row 2: *P4, work Row 2 of Twin Trees pattern for 40 sts; rep from * 3 more times, p4.
Continue in established pattern following row-by-row instructions for 58 rows, ending with a
RS row.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red][COLOR=black]So do I purl 4 on row 16 THEN follow the pattern or just start with the pattern as stated on row 16 … if I do the latter its not going to add up to 180 stitches I’m going to have stitches left over.[/COLOR][/COLOR]
[COLOR=red][COLOR=#000000]I will IM you …thanks for your patience I really appreciate it.[/COLOR][/COLOR]
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Yes, keep the 4 st border, start the pattern and repeat it and end with the other 4 st border. The 4 sts are not part of the pattern repeat, only on the edges.
Yes, row 16 you purl 4 and then follow the pattern.
Basically, all WS rows are: K4 [pattern] K4 [pattern] K4 [pattern] K4 [pattern] K4, and all RS rows are: P4 [pattern] P4 [pattern] P4 [pattern] P4 [pattern] P4.
I think what’s maybe throwing you off about row 16 is the “42 stitches” thing – but that indicates what you end up with, not what you start with. The other rows, you have 40 stitches for each of the [pattern] blocks. Row 16, you start with 40 stitches but have two M1 in there, which leaves you with 42 stitches for each of the [pattern] blocks … you’ll end up with 188 stitches rather than 180.
That’s what it turned out to be, from what I could tell from the pattern.
4/40/4/40/4/40/4/40/4 = 180
Then the increases make it 4/42 etc, and on up.
Well I’ve learned when all else fails …rip it back /cry, wimper …mutter
The stitches just werent adding up but after ripping it back to where the trees start (all the way back to row 2) I restarted and now they seem to be setting up correctly.
Thanks for being patient with me … I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Wendy
Honestly this is the worst written pattern EVER! I’ve given up on trying to knit it … you have to look in 3 different places in the pattern for instructions and its just to much to try and write out. If anyone wants a crack at it let me know and I’ll send it to you … maybe you will have better luck.
Thanks for all the help everyone.
I’d like to give this a try, please contact me.
Thanks
Hi Madrina, I used the “twin trees patterns” twice in an afghan that I’m about to finish and I didn’t have any problems. I got the pattern from the book “Covered Up” by Nicky Epstein. You need to make sure that you work M1 by lifting the yarn between the stitches and you keep a border of 4 stitches. This is how the pattern reads in my book: [COLOR=blue]ROW 16 - p4, *p12, m1, k4, p8, k4, m1, p16: rep from * to end - 46 stitches in each rep.[/COLOR] I hope this helps and don’t give up because once you get in it’n not complicated and the result is stunning! Good luck!
Hi thanks for replying … its been awhile and I think I’ve gotten more experience under my belt now, I was an overly excited newbie before I think and bit off way more than I was ready for … it almost traumatized me from knitted LOL :hair:
I’ve basically stuck with shawls, blankets, caps and scarves etc… and I’ve found that I love anything with cables!!
I’m going to try that blanket again probably after the first of the year when the holidays have gone and everything is quiet.
Have done this tree of life pattern from Lion Brand a couple of times with many modifications of my own design. I’m not sure, but think you haven’t considered the 4 stitches for the border on each edge in addition to the 40 sts. called for in each basic twin trees panel pattern. The row by row of the pattern 1 Twin Trees stitch doesn’t include the 4 stitch edge on each side - that’s the confusing part. So there are actually 8 sts more, beyond the trees panels, when you do the entire width of the afghan. That might be what you’re missing. Actually I vaguely remember adding 4 sts per panel but can’t think right now why. Might have been my own design. It worked though. You could try allowing 44 sts per tree panel + the 4 on each edge and see what happens.
Jean
Hello,
I am hoping that someone on this thread can help me. I’ve gotten past the first challenging section (Twin Trees) of this pattern. The issue that I’m currently dealing with is in the “Flower Garden” section of the pattern.
In Row 7 of this section, the instructions say:
p8, *[COLOR=“Red”]insert a crochet hook (or point of right needle) from front through the fabric at right of the twisted knit st in first row, catch yarn and draw up a long, loose loop; sl this loop onto right needle[/COLOR], knit next st and pass the loop over st, p3, k1b, p3, [COLOR=“red”]draw up another loop
from left of same st in first row, sl the loop onto right needle, knit next st and pass loop over it[/COLOR], p3; rep from *
My problem is conceptualizing how to pick up this loop stitch and where it is really coming from.
I would really appreciate it if someone could clarify this for me.
Regards,
Diane