Help decreasing

[kateric]

At 18 stitches, the pattern instructs:

“Rows 13 to 20: Ch1, [dc2tog] to end. 2 sts.”

However I can’t dc2tog with every stitch for 8 rows as there are only 18 stitches to work with and the wool completely curls on itself. Help please! 

[Granny Square]

Oh, that's cute!  I don't know why I was thinking rounds, you did say row, sorry for being dense.

So if the 18 stitches are across the  top of the birdhouse side walls, to get that /\ shape for the (attic?) it would make sense to make 1 dc2tog at each side of the roof, and plain stitches in the middle.  Decreasing 1 SC (UK DC) stitch from either side of a number of stitches to a point, or increasing 1 stitch on either side of a point in US SC works to get close to a 90° degree angle, which is about what the roof pitch looks like.

row 12=starting point of 18.  

decreasing 1 on each side is decreasing 2 per row, which yields:

row 13=16

row 14=14

row 15=12

row 16=10

row 18= 8

row 19=6

row 20=4, so the pattern is 1 row off, (meaning, you'd end up with 2 on row 21, and 1 on row 22).  I don't think this is going to matter on your piece, if anything you could add a stitch on each side of the gold color roof piece to keep the overhang the same.

[Granny Square]

So you only have 18 stitches left at the end of round 12?  Assuming this pattern is in UK terms, so the chain 1 is a turning chain for a UK DC / US SC?  

What is is supposed to look like?  Can you link to the pattern, or a photo of what the end result is supposed to look like?   

end of round 12 = 18

round 13 = 9

round 14 = 5 (8 becomes 4, with 1 left over) 

round 15 = 3 (4 becomes 2, with 1 left over) 

round 16 = 2 (2 becomes 1, with 1 left over)

Your pattern's decrease rate is pretty rapid, it sounds like you are making something cone shaped. Maybe the designer (or I) messed up the math to figure out what row you'd end up with just 2?

 

 

 

 

[kateric]

That’s right, yeah. Exactly what I am confused about, as the work is curling up but isn’t supposed to look like that! It is meant to be a birdhouse, here’s the pattern and the finished product

[magiccrochetfan]

looks like it should say that in each row you do just one dc2tog, then dc to the end of row.  i think, i probably shouldn't try to post as i have a bit of a migraine!  

[Granny Square]

Meant so say, hope you are feeling better soon Magic!

[magiccrochetfan]

5 hours ago, Granny Square said:

Meant so say, hope you are feeling better soon Magic!

Thank you 🙂   I'm okay now.  

[kateric]

Thank you so much! That makes a lot more sense, I’ll be sure to give that a go ☺️

[magiccrochetfan]

11 hours ago, kateric said:

Thank you so much! That makes a lot more sense, I’ll be sure to give that a go ☺️

Do let us know how it goes!