A little confused - interpreting the pattern

by Ann C
(Apple Valley, CA)

I'm following a pattern for a Slouchy Beanie. It says that for the larger size, I should use the numbers in the "braces" and shows { }.

It also gives directions for doing a C4F which is Cable4Front. I understand that.

I cast on the 99 stitches it requested and then started following the pattern. Where it says *C4F, P1, (K2, P1) twice, am I to skip the C4F, P1, and only do the (K2, P1)?

On the final row for the ribbing, it says "*K1, P1, K2, M1, P1, (K2 P1) twice; repeat from * around: 108 sts."

Therein lies my confusion - if I ONLY do the K2, P1 in brackets on the final row, then I still have 99 stitches, not the 108 they indicate I should have.

So, do I do ALL the stitches they indicate both in and out of brackets? I have read through all the instructions and nowhere do they use actual { } - only the parentheses ( ). In most of the patterns I've worked with, the ( ) are used for the larger sizes and are IN LIEU of the numbers preceding them.

I sure hope you can help me - I love knitting, but this is driving me crazy!

THANK YOU!

YOUR ANSWER

I can completely understand your frustration with this pattern.

You are right that most patterns will use () for different sizes rather than {}. Your confusion is understandable as this particular pattern tells you that {} will signify the instructions for other sizes and then does use them.

I can only assume that the wording is used in other patterns written by the same person and this is a bad example of cut and paste gone wrong.

Looking at the example text from your pattern, there is only one size and you should do all of the stitches in the instructions. In the last row, the brackets () signify the stitches that are to be repeated.

In plain English your last row of rib:
"*K1, P1, K2, M1, P1, (K2 P1) twice; repeat from * around: 108 sts." would look like this:

Knit 1 stitch, purl 1 stitch, make 1 stitch, purl 1 stitch, knit 2 stitches purl 1 stitch, knit 2 stitches, purl 1 stitch. Repeat until the end of the row.