Stitches

can someone help me make sense out of this knitting patterns?

i get very confused with the shorts they use in knitting patterns can you help me decifer this one HAT For straight needles Cast on 80 sts. Work in K1, P1 or K2, P2 ribbing for 1 1/2-2". Begin St st (k on RS, p on WS) until total length is 8". Crown decreases Row 1 K 6, k2tog across row – 70 stitches. Next Row and all even rows Purl. Row 3 K 5, k2tog across row – 60 stitches. Row 5 K 4, k2tog across row – 50 stitches. Row 7 K 3, k2tog across row – 40 stitches. Row 9 K 2, k2tog across row – 30 stitches. Row 11 K 1, k2tog across row – 20 stitches. Row 13 K2tog across row – 10 stitches. Cut yarn leaving long tail. Weave tail through remaining stitches and pull tightly. Sew seam.

Public Comments

1. This link is most helpful: About.com: knitting http://knitting.about.com/od/learntoknit/a/begin_knit.htm If you are not a beginer try this link: http://knitting.about.com/od/learntoknit/a/readingpattern.htm http://knitting.about.com/od/learntoknit/a/readingpattern_2.htm Or here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bagstobragabout/ Jackie
2. Here's a link to knitting abreviations first (plus it has videos on how to do many of the techniques): http://knittinghelp.com/knitting/abbreviations_explained/ Here's the "translation" for the pattern above: Cast on 80 stitches. Work in a knit 1, purl 1 or knit 2, purl 2 ribbing for 1 1/2 to 2 inches. Knit in stockinette (knit all stitches on right side, purl all stitches on wrong side) until the total length of what you have knit is 8 inches. Start the decreases for the top. Row 1: knit 6 stitches, knit the next 2 stitches together-- repeat this until the end of the row. You should have 70 stitches left. Row 2 and every even row: Purl all stitches Row 3: knit 5 stitches, knit the next 2 stitches together-- repeat this until the end of the row. You should have 60 stitches left. Row 4: purl Row 5: knit 4 stitches, knit the next 2 stitches together-- repeat this until the end of the row. You should have 50 stitches left. Row 6: purl Row 7: knit 3 stitches, knit the next 2 stitches together-- repeat this until the end of the row. You should have 40 stitches left. Row 8: purl Row 9: knit 2 stitches, knit the next 2 stitches together-- repeat this until the end of the row. You should have 30 stitches left. Row 10: purl Row 11: knit 1 stitch, knit the next 2 stitches together-- repeat this until the end of the row. You should have 20 stitches left. Row 12: purl Row 13: knit the next 2 stitches together-- repeat until the end of the row. You shoudl have 10 stitches left Cut the yarn leaving a long tail (I think you will want to do the seaming with this tail... so you want to leave a fair bit of yarn). Pull the yarn through the remaining 10 stitches and then seam down the side of the hat. Hope that helped... good luck with the hat!