Weird pattern shaping--bind off instead of decreases?

How-to Questions
1

Hi, I’ve started working on a 20-year-old pattern that I got ages ago when I bought the yarn it was designed for. I do like the pattern, which is why I’m sticking with it, but I’m a bit confused about the waist shaping. The pattern says, “for waist shaping, bind off 1 st at each end alt on every 8th and 9th row 6 times.” So, I need to bind off a total of 12 sts. I have two questions:

  1. why bind off and not decrease? Can I just do a decrease?
  2. does this mean I would bind off 1 st at the beginning of the 8th row, then 1 st at the beginning of the 9th? I’d then bind off again at the beginning of the 16th and 17th?

The pattern is knit in stockinette and flat (front and back seamed later). I’ve never done a pattern that uses bind offs for waist shaping–is this normal?

Thank you!

2

Most patterns would use decreases to work waist shaping. You could work them one or two sts from the edges or whatever you prefer.
Decrease at each end on row 8 then rows 17, 25, 34, 42 and 51.

What is the name of the pattern?

3

Thanks, salmonmac! I thought I could do decreases, but wondered if there were some design reason it would call for a bind off.

The pattern is called Emozione Pullover with Bust Detail by Austermann. The yarn is also Austermann Emozione.

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