Understanding a t cozy pattern

How-to Questions
1

Hi everyone
I have made my 1st foray away from scarves and have been stumped by the pattern description. I’m pretty sure its an interpretation issue so if you can help I’d appreciate it!

ok, 53 stitches k2, p2 rpt to last stitch k1
and on for 18cm
[B][I]then here’s my problem[/I][/B]
k2, (p3tog, k1) 12 times, p2, k1 (29stitches)
[I]is that k2, then p3tog, k1, then k2, then p2, then I’m stuck… it looks like i’d have to have k2, p3tog, k1 12 times as there’s not enough stitches! I assume the () means that should only be done once, but with the “12 times” after that means I’d have to do k24 which makes no sense :aww: [/I]

Next bit
k2, p2, (k1,p1) 12 times, k1
K1, (ssk) 12times, k2tog (16 stitches)
[I]ssk? what the? I just noticed that for the 1st time! And I thought I’d read the pattern [blush][/I]
k1, p to last stitch, k1
k2tog 8 times across row (8 stitches)
break yarn, run through stitches and pull.
[I]Breaking yarn I can do :happydance: [/I]

Hope someone can help. I was so proud of myself, finding a pattern choosing colours and doing stripes, it looks even and got to the point of decreasing and now I’m stumped!

2

(p3tog,k1) 12 times-do what is in the ( ) 12 times
ssk=slip,slip knit
If you needto know how to do ssk go here http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/knitting-glossary
And KH has videos on how to do it

3

Fantastic, thank you!:muah:
Just a little clarification please… in the video it looks like slip, slip, slip then left needle through those 3 slipped stitches and knit. Would I be right in thinking the 3rd slip stitch is counted in the “knit”?

4

Hi!–
First of all, congratulations on trying something new! It really is a big step, and next thing you know, you’ll be knitting those high socks with cables and 5 toes!:slight_smile: But first things first:

Okay, a bit of a more involved explanation of the first problem-- even though you now understand the ( )12 times, it may help you get the next part.

You had 53 sts. Then you “k2, (p3tog, k1) 12 times, p2, k1”.
Each time you “p3tog, k1”, it took 4 sts to do that, and 4 X 12 + 48. So you knit 2, then used 48 sts for that decrease, then purled 2, then knit 1, which equals 53 sts. EVery time you did that "p3tog, k1, you were losing 2 sts, times 12 is 24, and so you ended up with the 29 stitches.

Now-- after the next row, you have another decrease row: “K1, (ssk) 12times, k2tog (16 stitches)”. You are going to lose another 13 sts. When you ssk, you only slip TWO sts over to the right needle and then knit them together, not THREE-- it’s just a different way to knit 2 stitches together. The reason for it is that it slants differently. So that’s why you’ll see “ssk” and think, well, why not just knit 2 together?-- it would be easier. But don’t-- the finished item will come out looking a bit different than intended. So each time you ssk, you are losing 1 stitch, and you’re doing it 12 times, and then at the end of that row, you DO just knit 2 stitches together, and that’s your 13th.

Hope this hasn’t made it more confusing, but I thought if you had a complete explanation it might make things easier in the future. Let us know how it comes out!

5

After you slip slip slip knit all in one then you knit another stitch

6

So, for ssk I slip one, slip one, put the left needle through those 2 slip stitches and knit them together?
THAT 3rd slip has got me confused :aww:
Thanks again you guys, your help is exactly what I need. Thanks too for the step by step but Brittyknits you’re right, it does help!
:grphug:

7

Did you look at the right video? There’s one for ssk, slip 2 sts and knit them together, and one for sssk where you slip 3 sts and knit together.

8

Ahhh, yes I did!
Ok, I’ve watched the ssk and the ssk (improved), which should I use, and why it the 2nd one better?

This is quite nice, I’m feeling the fog of confusion lifting already :cheering:

9

First-- you’re most welcome:) . And second, the “improved” ssk will just lie slightly differently because of the way you slip the 2nd stitch. Depending on the yarn you’re using for your cozy, it will show more or less. What you might try is a little swatch-- just casting on 10 sts and doing stocking stitch for a few rows, and then try both the original ssk and then the improved ssk and see if one looks better or worse to you.

10

The `improved’ ssk makes the bottom stitch twisted, thereby taking up some of the looseness which some people don’t like. I don’t care for the twist and manage my sts so the looseness is minimal. Do try out both and see which you prefer.

11

It does say 16 stitches, but I only have 15, and when I counted it up 15 seems right… can you check it for me and let me know what you think? IF IT’s 16 then I’ve lost one and can’t find it!
:knitting:

12

Hmmm-- there should be 16. You had 29 and then you were supposed to “K1, (ssk) 12times, k2tog”, which would have taken away 13 sts and left you with 16. But here’s the thing-- the only real problem-- especially with a tea cosy-- is if you dropped a stitch somewhere and it is going to come un-done and ladder down. It won’t destroy it, but you’ll definitely see it. But if you check very carefully and that didn’t happen, then you must have just knit 3 together when it was supposed to be 2, or something like that. In that case, no big deal, just ignore 1 decrease or whatever in the last row, it really won’t affect anything.

13

I finished the t cozy and the other side had 15 stitches too! I sewed them together for the completed effect and there was no running stitches or anything- so I guess its a mystery… :cool:
I just popped by to say thank you all again for your help!:grphug: