King Cole 2927

[Kte3000]

I’m so stuck on this pattern. 
I have 78 stitches and I have to ‘xdc, ch1, miss one below and repeat’ this ends on a chain so the row becomes 1 stitch too short when I go back the other way it says ‘ch1, miss next xdc, xdc in turning chain’ that means it’s then one extra the other end. Is this normal? For it to be lopsided above the boarder?

[Granny Square]

Welcome to the 'ville!  Is this a UK termed pattern, because it makes a difference; I'm thinking UK because US patterns usually will say 'skip' not 'miss',  HOWEVER a UK DC/US SC conventionally never uses the turning chain as a stitch.  

I can't imagine something being 'lopsided above the border', unless it was something ornately lacy and extra chains created height not width maybe.

Is a xdc an "X" stitch, 2 crossed post stitches, where each X stitch would take up 2 stitches?  Normally a pattern like this would be 'bookended', meaning it begins and ends the same or same-ish way.  In this pattern, I'd expect it to end in an x stitch.  However...

The pattern of 'something, chain 1' is making me think of the 'woven stitch', which (using UK terms) is DC, CH1, next row dc into the chain space and chain over the dc in the row below.  Ending and beginning stitches vary at 1 or 2 DCs, to allow for where the first or last stitch 'should have been' a chain.  Worst case, the woven stitch could be substituted with the stitch count you have, here is a tutorial with a video, written, step by step pictorial and and charted version -- it really is a nice looking stitch.  (this is in US terms, US  SC=UK DC)  Or, maybe the concept of this stitch pattern will help you figure out how to "fudge" your pattern to the # of stitches you have, by tweaking the ending stitches.

edit, I found a pattern-for-sale link, but can't blow it up well enough to see the texture of the stitches beyond the obvious bobbles of the edge, but it seems like the woven stitch would be a reasonable alternative.

 

Edited August 28, 2020 by Granny Square