Stitches

Wondering if someone can help me with reading these knitting instructions?

The instructions call for me to: k3,[k2tog] 3 times, [k in front in back of next st] 6 times,[k2tog] 3 times; rep from * to last 3sts; k3, k3 rows. Change to CB. I know what the abbreviations mean, but the way things are in brackets and everything REALLY confused me, and I don't get what it means to knit in front and back of next stitch.

Public Comments

1. Not knowing the rest of the pattern, I can't help you with this bit of it. I would suggest (this may sound funny) starting at the very beginning of the pattern, even the introduction part, and reading it aloud to yourself somewhat slowly. Read all the way through until the actual knitting instructions start. It may well explain briefly what the brackets mean. It may just mean you do everything inside them the number of times called for. We all miss things as we read. Reading things aloud to myself helps me catch the parts I missed reading silently. If I still can't get it, I have to majorly swallow my pride and have it read to me by someone else. Oddly enough, that usually helps. As to knitting in the front and back of a stitch, that's not hard to do. Look closely at how your stitch lays on the needle. One side is in front of the needle and one side is in back of the needle. Knit into each side, instead of just the one you're used to doing.
2. as the previous poster suggested, do consult your earlier pattern. However, this is how i interpret it from my experience [i'm removing the brackets, etc. to make it simpler] : k3, k2tog, k2tog, k2tog, k in front in back of next st, k in front in back of next st, k in front in back of next st, k in front in back of next st, k in front in back of next st, k in front in back of next st, k2tog, k2tog, k2tog; rep from * to last 3sts; k3, k3 rows. Change to CB. hope this helped all the very best & have fun
3. The pattern in bracket is what you need to repeat x number of times. [k2tog] 3 times => k2tog, k2tog, k2tog [k in front in back of next st] 6 times => k1f&b, k1f&b, k1f&b, k1f&b, k1f&b, k1f&b "k in front in back of next st" is a type of increase (you are making 2 stitches out of one. It is abbreviated as "k1f&b" sometimes. You can see a video here (middle of page): http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/increases This is how your pattern breaks down if you write it all out: k3, k2tog, k2tog, k2tog, k1f&b, k1f&b, k1f&b, k1f&b, k1f&b, k1f&b, k2tog, k2tog, k2tog You repeat this from the * (which I'm guessing was a line or so above or you just excluded the asterisk) to the last 3 stitches. Knit the last 3 stitches. Knit 3 rows. Change to CB (what I'm guessing is a contrasting color).
4. The brackets followed by the number of times means to do whatever is in the brackets that number of times: (k2tog) 3 times: k2tog, k2tog, k2tog A great visual demonstration for knitting front and in back of a stitch can be found t http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILcTB5hc0XM from theknitwitch. What you are doing in this case is increasing 6 stitches by knitting front and back in one 6 times, then decreasing 6 stitches by knitting 2 together 3 times. rep from * to last 3sts means to repeat all the steps from the * until you reach the last 3 stitches. In this case , knit those last 3 stitches. Then knit the next 3 rows.
5. OK. You knit those first 3 stitches. The bracket means that you have to knit 2 together three times , which gives you 3 stitches. [there are now 6 stitches on the needle, counting the very first three. Look at your knitting, each stitch forms a loop. you knit as always, but do not slip the stitch off the needle, instead you insert the needle between front and back loop of the stitch and knit again, making two stitches out of the one. (the 'in' seems to be a misprint and should read 'and') This will give you 12 stitches. By now you have arrived at the second bracket and again you knit two stitches together three times. This entire set of stitches you will repeat all across the row up to the last 3 stitches. then knit 3 stitches. Unless this is another mistake, it looks to me that you have to repeat for 3 rows before changing to CB (Apparently a second color.) Is this supposed to be worked in the round? It does not say anything about a second row. In some patterns that is worked purled. In others one knits as the stitch appears (if it looks like knit, it gets knitted, if purled, you purl the stitch. ) I hope this will clarify the pattern for you. If you have questions, you can reach my at Chorban@aol.com Please add 'knitting' after your address so AOL does not put you into the Spam box
6. What the brackets mean are that you should do what is in the brackets the specific number of repeats. For example: where it says [k2tog] 3 times, you can translate that as: k2tog,k2tog,k2tog The brackets are there to let you know that the k3 that came first is NOT part of the thing you should do 3 times. Entirely translated, that row would go as follows: k3, k2tog,k2tog,k2tog,k in front in back of next st,k in front in back of next st,k in front in back of next st,k in front in back of next st,k in front in back of next st,k in front in back of next st,k2tog,k2tog,k2tog You did not put where the star is, but what that means is that the area between the two stars is another long repeat. Knit in front and back is a way to do another increase. Normally you would knit in the back only, inserting your left needle through the back part of the loop on the right needle. For this, you will do that as normal, but don't slip the stitch off the right needle when finished; instead, reinsert the left needle through the front instead of the back and knit again. Now you can slip it off the right needle. And now you have two on the left needle where there was previously one.