need to decipher a pattern
 

I am new to knitting and am working on a hat with ear flaps. I have already done 14 cm of garter/stockinette stitch. It is time to start decreasing. The pattern reads as follows: k1,*k2tog, k6* repeat * to * and end with k1. Dec 7 sts in this manner every other row 7 times. What do I do on the other, every other row when I'm not decreasing? Am I knitting? Thanks!

Welcome!

Yes, just knit without any decreases.

Thank you! I will probably have a lot more questions.

Ask away! That's what this site is all about.:thumbsup:

ok, now I am really stumped! I finished the hat (yeah!) and am now starting the ear flaps. I did 3 rows of garter stitch and the rest of the pattern reads: dec 1 st in each side inside the outer most st every 4th row 4 times. Continue to dec every 8th row until 4 sts rem. Can somebody tell me in English what I'm supposed to do? Thanks for the help!

These decreases will shape the earflap. Instead of doing the decreases on the very edge, do them one stitch in from the edge. So you would knit one, decrease (probably a ssk,see the Glossary tab above if you need to) knit across to 3 stitches from the end, knit 2 together and knit one. Knit 3 rows and then repeat the decrease row. You want to do the decrease row 4 times total with 3 rows of plain knitting (no decreases) between the decrease rows. Then decrease every 8th row until you're down to 4sts on the needle.

Thank you so much! I got it and it actually made sense! Boy do I love this site!!! I finished my ear flap hat and it looks great!!! Thanks for all the help!

Congratulations on your finished hat--and so glad it came out looking good!!

If you get a chance, take a picture and post it in the Whatcha' Knittin' thread. We love to see finished projects (or even works-in-progress)!