I found a pattern in my mom's stuff a few weeks ago and decided this weekend to give it a go. I got down to the last 9 or so threads and couldn't figure out how to finish the dishcloth off. The pattern was from a friend of a friend and I can't ask them (whoever they are) and my mom passed away last month. Below is the pattern (such as it is). If you can help me finish the last rows, I would really appreciate it.

Cast on 4 stitches
Knit 2 rows
K2, YO, K2 (you'll end up w/5 stitches)
Knit across
K2, YO, K1, YO, K2 (you'll end up w/7)
Knit across
K2, YO, K3, YO, K2
Knit across
Continue this pattern until you have 45 stitches across

now you decrease:

K2, YO, K3 tog, Knit to last 5 stitches, K3 tog, YO, K2.
Knit across

So, I get to the last 7 or 9 stitches and I don't know how to finish it off. I'm not a dumb person, but I'm having a hard time switching from increasing to decreasing on the end (does that make sense?)

Needless to say, I guessed at the end and it is truly a mess, so I need to make another dishcloth and see if I can figure out how to finish it off.:knitting:

You want to end up with 5 stitches, because it's basically symmettrical; and in terms of the increase/decrease, you have YO to increase, in the first half, and YO K3tog to decrease (the YO keeps the semilacy pattern, but since that increases you need to do K3tog to get an overall decrease). But the rows aren't exactly parallel -- to get from 43 sts. to 45 you do K2, YO, K39, YO, K2, but to get from 45 to 43 you do K2, YO, K3tog, K35, K3tog, YO, K2 (so the middle section is 4 stitches shorter).

Also (and excuse me for all this babbling, I'm just talking this out to myself *G*) the K2, YO, K3tog on each end takes 5 sts. So to get from 11 sts to 9 it would be K2, YO, K3tog, K1, K3tog, YO, K2; but I'm not sure how to decrease from there :??

(I know, I'm being horribly helpful. *snicker* I've seen versions where instead of one row with increases/decreases at each end and one row knit across, it's every row with increases/decreases at the beginning... which is probably a slightly different effect, but easier to calculate.)

I think I"m losing my mind. I know there was a post on my question from "Jan" w/directions and a picture and now it's gone.

But, I think with Isabeau's help I may have it.

I appreciate all the help ladies.

If by chance Jan can you repost the response - I'd like to compare what you had shown me with what Isabeau and I have. Maybe I can get a dishcloth done tomorrow! LOL:woot:

Were you able to get your dishcloth pattern figured out?
:knitting:

Yes, thank you. I found the website that Jan posted. Somehow the post disappeared. Don't really understand all the workings of the forum yet, but I'll get there eventually. I was able to make a dishcloth w/the pattern she suggested on the website and it's a lot easier than the one my mom had. Thanks again!