Stupid question

[Waffle61]

I have a stupid question, but being a new knitter I thought I would ask. If a pattern says to work 4 rows even, end after a WS row, doesn't that automatically make the 4th row the WS row? How do you tell RS from WS?

[Jan in CA]

There are no stupid questions. We all had to learn sometime.

The WS is the side that is often the inside or the back of something. If you're doing a stitch that is reversible you can just choose the side that you like best. If it matters you can put a pin or removable marker on the RS so you'll always know.

If you start the 4 rows on the RS then yes the last row would be a WS row. They are just clarifying that is where you are.

[featherbaby]

I agree with Jan that there's no stupid question. Any kind of question means that we only want to know things that we are not actually familiar or we don't have any knowledge of.

I'm actually keep my eye on this forum since I really want to learn things about knitting. I would love to know how to make patterns and at the same time understand things about it. Hope to learn more.

[1louder]

Same. I have loads of questions that seem stupid to me but when I ask people seem happy to help.

[fatoldladyinpjs]

There's no such thing as a stupid question. We've all been raw beginners like you at one time. We asked stupid questions, too, or were so embarrassed to ask that we had to figure it out for ourselves. Much of what we know has been from experience and making a lot of mistakes. So you're not alone. As to the right side, wrong side thing. Look at your tail. Yes, I know, Susie. Sometimes the directions are different. But GENERALLY, your tail will be on the right side of your work for right side rows and on the left side of your work for wrong side rows. If you are following a pattern, your odd numbered rows will be the right side and your even numbered rows will be the wrong side. Pay attention when you see directions such as yours which say, ending on a wrong side row. This usually means that they're going to have you do something different on the next row. If it's increasing, decreasing, cabling, or anything like that, it will usually be done on a right side row. When it says Ending on a WS row, it means that you will knit or purl (depending on which stitch your pattern calls for) that entire wrong side row before doing something different on the next right side one.

[suzeeq]

GENERALLY, your tail will be on the right side of your work for right side rows and on the left side of your work for wrong side rows.

IF you're using a LT cast on, it will. But if using a knit or cable it would be the opposite. About the only thing you can say generally is that the RS is the first row, so you can mark it. But sometimes the first row is the WS, it depends on the pattern.