BellaOnline Forums Hobbies and Crafts Knitting Experienced advice needed

Hi- I'm six months new to knitting and have a couple of questions. A pattern I'd like to try reads: knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches as they face you. I don't really understand the "facing you" part. It also calls for slip stitch but doesnt explain what to do with the ss in the next row. Do I just ignore it? Knit the ss?? Can anyone help? Thank you.

Okay, I'll try to explain this. It would also help if you give me a rundown on the last row of the pattern before the one you're talking about. Basically, all you're doing is knitting the stitches as they appear. If a stitch was a purl on the previous side, it will be a knit on the back, and vice versa. So, if the first stitch you're looking at looks like stockinette, you'll knit it. If it looks like a purl (a bump), you'll purl it. If there's slip stitches among this row (I'm gonna assume the row with these troublesome instructions is on the wrong side), it could be either. It depends on the look of the pattern. Is there a picture? If the picture looks like the long stitches are stockinette, and you're working on the wrong side, you'd purl those stitches. If the top of the elongated stitch has a bump, you'd knit it from the wrong side. I hope this helps, but I've probably confused you more. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Let us know.

Hi and thanks for responding. There is no pic and the ss falls between two ks. So if I understand you correctly (which I may not), I would purl the ss on the following row??

If I'm reading all of this correctly, then yes, you'd purl the slipped stitch when you come to it next. Your best option, although somewhat a yucky one, is to do 10 or so rows and see how it looks, knowing full well that you may have to rip it out if you don't like it!

Agreed. Maybe you should do a small swatch and do half knitting the slip and half purling the slip to see which you like better. But if you're anything like me, you've probably already dove into to the project! <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Thanks everyone. Its a bit hard to grasp some of the knitting when you're learning from books and the internet. I'll let everyone know how it goes (I'm going to start it today!).

There is alot of really good helpers here and if we can't help you out , I will go and search to see who can <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Don't worry we have all been beginners and not to discourage you but I don't think you ever stop learning things with knitting which makes it like a new adventure every time you start a new project.

Eva

That's true, Eva. It's very hard for me to concentrate on something mindless (most times). This is one of the reasons I have so many projects going on at once. I've knitted and crocheted for 27 years, and I still love it. The biggest reason is that you're constantly learning. It's like growing up--The more you learn, the more you realize you don't know. I'm always learning new things. It keeps your brain young. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />