Hello,
I am knitting a sweater and am on the sleeve. It starts at the ribbing and only increases on one side. The instructions say: “Increase 1 st. at each end of every 4th row 13 times, then 1 st. alt. on every 2nd and 4th row 18 times = 107[115] sts.” The pattern being knitted is 8 total (front and back) rows. For the first step, do I increase one stitch on rows 4 and 8? Then what do I do for the next “1 st. alt. on every 2nd and 4th row 18 times” instruction? I am totally confused. Thank you in advance for your assistance with this!!!
Understanding Pattern Instructions Help
Hi Reillyjg.
One the first part-"Increase 1 st. at each end of every 4th row 13 times, It means to increase 1 stitch on both sides but at the edge of every 4th row of knitting. Do the first increase stitches, then knit 3 rows of plain knitting,then on the next row repeat the increases. Do that for a total of 13 times
The second part-then 1 st. alt. on every 2nd and 4th row 18 times = 107[115] sts."means to increase one stitch on the second row , 4th row, 6th row and 8th and so on for a total of 18 times. You should end up with the required numbers of 107[115]
"Increase 1 st. at [B]each end[/B] of every 4th row 13 times,
You inc at the beg and end of the row - [I]both ends[/I]. Doing this on the 4th row after the ribbing actually puts the inc on the WS row if you start with a knit row, and it’s easier to inc on a RS row. So inc on row 5 or start your stockinette with a purl row and then inc on the 4th. Then another inc 4 rows after that.
Then your increases will be alternating every other row with every 4th row. Say your last every 4th row inc was row 52, then you will inc on rows 54, 58, 60, 64, 68, etc
Hi again,
Thank you both so much!
So the second part means I increase on one side only on the second row and the other side on the fourth, the first side on the sixth, the second side on the eighth, etc., until I increase 18 stitches on both sides (36 total increases)?
I apologize for my confusion and appreciate your clarifications!
No. The ‘inc 1 st’ part is a carryover from the ‘at each end’ part of the instructions. You still inc on [I]both ends[/I] of the row.
After you’ve done the every 4th row incs, then you inc every other (every 2nd) row, every 4th row, every 2nd row, every 4th row, every 2nd row, every 4th. So for every 6 rows you’ll be increasing twice. It’s like increasing every 3rd row, but this way keeps all the incs on the RS rows.
So it looks like this for the 2nd part…
Inc - (last every 4th row inc)
row
inc
row
row
row
inc
row
inc
row
row
row
inc
row
inc.
Thank you a bunch!!! I understand now. 