update: Thanks for all the help, I can monkey now!
So I have nowhere to turn but to all of you talented sock knitters out there, how do I read this chart? I know that I should read the pattern from bottom to top, and from right to left, but I have other issues. The pattern for Monkey is over 16 stitches, but don't the decreases "eat up" two stitches at a time? I tried knitting it as I have highlighted above so the decreases start at the right edge of the blue boxes, but one side of the pattern is bigger than the other. I know many of you have knitted Monkey, but for me even the written out pattern on Knitty doesn't add up to 16 stitches (example: round 3: P3, k2tog, k3, yo2, k3, ssk, p3 = 3 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 3 = 18). There is obviously something I am missing here, can anyone help? Thanks in advance!
Update: Thanks for all the help in the comments, it turns out I was counting the stitch directly following the yarn over as part of the yarn over, thus creating an inflated number of stitches. I can now safely say that I understand not only the written out directions but also the chart! Thank you sock knitters!
~ Fabienne http://fabienne.us
posted by Fabienne @ 4:15 PM
10 Comments:
I haven't done this pattern, but I noticed that you put a k2tog...that would equal 1 stitch, and you've written it below as being 2 stitches, and the ssk (slip slip knit) as being 2 stitches as well. When you slip the 2 stitches over, you knit them together and they become 1 stitch. So, it should be 3+1+3+2+3+1+3= 16. At least that's my take on it...
Yes Shelley, but when you do a k2tog, it uses two stitches from the row underneath. So, on each 16 stitch repeat I end up "using up" 18 stitches if I follow the written out directions or the chart.
I don't know if this will answer your question, but yes, the decreases "eat up" 2 stitches but the yo (yarn overs) add those back in. You start with 16 stitches and lose 2 while adding 2 in the same row.
thanks Tanya, but I still don't understand really. I have 16 stitches time 4 for the whole circumference of the socks, and the yarn overs don't create stitches until the next time around. So basically a yarn over eats up one of my sixteen original stitches, but the decreases eat up two of my sixteen original stitches. I've tried knitting the Monkey, the Baudelaire twice, and I really must be missing something integral.
You can complete the monkey socks without the chart. The pattern is all written out. What happens is this: A K2 tog or SSK "eats" 2 stitches but a YO creates a stitch where there is none. They create the stitch on that round (You can see the loop over the needle). When you start and finish with a needle there should be 16 loops on it. If you are not getting 16 it may be because you are not doing your yarn over correctly. Let e know if this helps.
I think saying that a k2tog or a ssk "eats" 2 stitches is more confusing that helpful. Here's another way of looking at it that might help you. A k2tog or a ssk only "eats" one stitch. By this I mean you have 2 stitches on one round going into 1 stitch on the next round. It is a 1 stitch DEcrease for every k2tog/ssk worked. But, you also have the yo's, and yo's ARE real stitches - they are included in the counting. Each yo worked is a 1 stitch INcrease. As long as you have the same number of increases and decreases per row you will keep the same number of stitches on the needles. Each pattern repeat has 2 increases (2 yo's) and 2 decreases (1 k2tog and 1 ssk).
Hopefully this helps...
Okay--I am knitting this sock, too and am on the toe of the 1st sock, so I have made it through. And I am goign to tell you, I didn't read the chart, I used the written out directions. And EVERY (yes, every!) time I tried to make sense of this pattern anayltically, I couldn't and I would scre the row up. But If I just completely did what it said, without question, I was fine. Testimony----I have 1 sock finished, and will post on my blog tomorrow!
Try it, and good luck! email me at missyjoon@gmail.com and I'll try to help you through the pattenr!
Hope you're getting on okay with this sock now. I've not done Monkeys yet but Carrie got it spot on in her explanation. You've got to count yo as a stitch and it makes up for the stitch youdecrease with your k2tog and ssk. Try to just follow the pattern for a few rounds without analyzing or trying to understand it and I bet it'll work out right.
A few months ago I couln't get used to charts and preferred written instructions. Now Icant live without charts. I'm working on a sock I've designed myself using a stitch pattern form a book whihc was only written in word. I hd to translate it into a chart before I could knit it. LOL. Keep practicing charts. It's worth it in the end.
Fabienne, hope you've sorted this? Carrie and Anni are totally right- the YO's (marked as little circles) add two stitches each round to make up for the 2 you've decreased.
In effect they do not "use up" any stitches from the previous round.
So, as Anni said, just follow the chart without thinking about which stitch you are knitting and it will work (honest)
However if you want to think it logically - round2 you purl stitches 1-4, k 5-12 and purl 13-16
Round 3 you purl 1-3, ktog 4 and 5, k 6-8, create 2 stitches with yo's, k 9-11, ktog 12-13 and then purl 14-16.
Does that help??
Thank you all, I think my issue was in fact my yarn overs. I was counting the yarn over as "eating" the stitch directly following it, but in reality that stitch is it's own entity in the pattern. That was my issue. Thanks all, look forward to some monkeys from me soon! I really appreciate all the help, it shows that learning from a book can't always work *smile*.
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