my mum's been knitting this pattern http://www.dailyknitter.com/sophia.html on 7mm straight needles (5mm bigger tha required) but has been having trouble getting row 21 to leave the holes of the lace effect. Every time she knits 2 together,she replaces it with a yo, ending up with the same number of stitches as she started with, ad no hole. Can anyone offer some insight?

The K2tog combined with a YO will leave the same number of stitches on the needle, but create a hole. It kind of depends on the yarn plus the knitting tightness as to how big, but give it time. It will work. ;)