my stitch numbers don't add up?!

[MrsWildchild]

As for getting the stitches to add up in the first part, it doesn't matter what type of increase you do, most, if not all, increases add exactly 1 stitch. I think the pattern means to (knit 1, inc 1) three times, so:

knit 1
increase 1
knit 1
increase 1
knit 1
increase 1
knit 1
knit 1
knit 1
increase 1
knit 1
knit 1
knit 1
increase 1
knit 1
knit 1
knit 1
increase 1
knit 1
knit 1

So, you have increased 6 times, bringing 12 to 18.

As for the second part, can't help you there!