Scratching my head need help Please

[Tampa Doll]

I am making flowers for my tree and I have never run across this kind of instruction before.

 

You use 2 dp needles.

 

Cast on 10

 

row1 - kfb, k6 turn, with yarn at back, slip 1 knitwise, k to end 11 sts.

 

row 2 - kfb, k5 turn, with yarn at back, slip 1 knitwise, k to end 12 sts.

 

row 3 & 4 knit

 

row 5 kfb, k4 turn, slip 1, k to end 13 sts

 

Now my question is this. You knit front and back in first stitch. then knit 6, now there are 4 cast on stitchesleft on the needle. You now turn?

 

So on one needle you have 8 stitches and 4 cast on stitches on the other:think

 

I can't seem to wrap my brain around this Please Help. I have looked through all my books, but can't seem to understand this.

[catheryn]

Mary JO....

I think you don't actually use the dps as usual. I would put point protectors on the ends and knit as usual. Since you are making such small items, it is easier to knit them with the smaller needles. I have made a dishcloth where the petals were made with short rows like in your instructions and the pattern said the same thing.

Hope I am right and this helps.

[catheryn]

Just reread my note and I am not sure it is clear. But yes, at the end of row 1 after you knit the last stitch you will turn your work and slip the first stitch on the left needle back onto the needle that is now in your right hand. Because of the way you will now have to move the yarn to the back in order to knit the remaining stitches from the left needle, a wrap will form and prevent a hole from showing where you slipped a stitch. Row 1 and row 2 are the short rows working only on those designated stitches. When you work rows 3, 4 and 5 for the entire length, the short rows will pull those rows in to form the petals.

Am I making any sense at all? It is so much easier to show someone than it is to write it out.

[Tampa Doll]

Ok the way I was reading it was you kfb in first stitch, then knit 6 then turn. This leaves 4 cast on stitches on the left hand needle. When you turn, they are on the right hand needle. Then you go to row 2 and start over again. This is where I am confused.

 

the way I read it, you have stitches you do not do anything with till you get to row 3. Makes no sense to me.

[catheryn]

That is right....you leave those stitches . That is the short row and shapes your flower. When you turn your work, those stitches are on the right. Like you said, now you work row 2 stitches off your left needle. When you work row 3, you will knit all the stitches on the needle and you will see how your flower starts to curve because of the short row.

You are reading the pattern right.......I remember the first time I worked a pattern with short rows and I thought I would lose my mind before I just quit thinking about it and did what the pattern said. Surprise, surprise, surprise.....it turned out the way it was supposed to! Good luck and send me a pic when you finish one!!

[catheryn]

Did you get it figured out?

[Tampa Doll]

Yes I got it figured out and wow. It is amazing how it looks for something so little.

Thank you for your help and boy you can tell it has been a long time since I knitted.

I spent all day yesterday trying to do this. I was using size 1 needles and they felt like toothpicks in my hands.