Zimmermania

Sunday, September 24, 2006

need help

Hi, I'm Gwen. I'm knitting a pair of norwegian mittens (knitter's almanac) with yarn recycled from two commercial sweaters I took apart last year. The colors actually work really well together - it's brown & pink - so girly! I'm loving the pattern so far - my first time with color work. And I'm loving holding one color in right hand, the other color in left hand, switching between the English method and the Continental method. It makes the knitting much more interesting because I can focus and see the pattern come alive instead of fighting with the 2 strands of yarn, plus the two circulars, etc. Well anyway, take a peek...


But I'm stuck. Luv EZ, but I've read the following line many many times, and still just don't understand how the mitten is to be continued. On page 61 of knitter's almanac,

"K 3 rnds MC, decreasing to 46 sts by K2 tog 8 times across front"

Does she mean decrease 8 sts in 1 round, or over 3 rounds? And what does "across front" mean? The palm side or back-of-hand side or evenly across? I'm not sure if anyone else is knitting mittens out there...but Help!

3 Comments:

  • Love the pink and brown together. And good for you, holding a color in each hand!

    I'm reading through the pattern and as far as I can make out, deciphering from her earlier descriptions on mitten construction in that chapter, the k2tog 8 times across the front would be the palm side, as she talks about the palm side having fewer stitches than the back (with a smaller motif on the palm side and a larger motif on the back).

    Here's how I'm reading the st count: if you look at the pattern on p. 60 for the back side, count the outer solid lines of CC as one each of the 3 side sts: so you have showing there 1 side st, 25 pattern sts, and 1 side st (27 sts total for the back). The pattern calls for 3 side sts total. So that leaves for the palm side 2 side sts, 23 pattern sts, and 2 side sts (27 sts total) before you begin the pattern (which makes sense, having 27 sts on each side, back and palm, for the cuff).

    After the cuff, before you begin the main pattern of the mitten, those 23 pattern sts on the palm side get decreased by 8 sts, bringing the palm side total to 19 sts (keep 2 side sts on the sides, leaving 15 sts for the palm pattern). So still 27 sts on the back and now 19 sts on the palm = 46 sts.

    Since you are decreasing 8 sts over 23 sts, that palm side decrease row will work as: k the 2 side sts in pattern (see bottom of p. 55), *k2tog, K* 7 times, k2tog, k the 2 side sts. That leaves you with 19sts on the palm side (2 side sts, 15 pattern sts, 2 side sts).

    That's what I'm seeing, anyway; let me know if you're still stuck or find another way that makes sense.

    By Blogger Jen, at 1:26 PM  

  • wow - thanks for the detailed explanation - it makes so much sense. thank you!! hopefully my next post will be of a finished mitten!

    By Blogger gwen, at 2:14 PM  

  • Oh good. I was feeling funny leaving such a long post! I hope it does make sense--let me know if not. I love the colors you are using and can't wait to see how they turn out. Cheers.

    By Blogger Jen, at 6:32 PM  

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