Question about reading pattern

[hazel75]

I've started a pattern out of the Expectant Knitter, Girl's Summer Suit. I'm having problems now that I've gotten to the shoulder shaping. I've underlined the size I'm working, and I'll start with the instructions before I get confused.

Next Row P7 (8, 8, 9) stitches

I do that, and now I have 8 stitches on my needle. The instructions for the next line say:

Next Row K1, ssk, k1 (2, 2, 3), k2tog, k1-5 (6, 6, 7) stitches. Purl 1 row.

Where I'm confused is the last part of the decrease row instruction -- I don't have 6 stitches left to knit - I have one (for a total of 6 stitches in the entire row).

The remaining decreases on the shoulder shaping are similar (although even more confusing to me).

Next Row K1, ssk, k2tog, k0 (1, 1, 2)--3 (4, 4, 5) stitches. Purl 1 row.

For the size I'm working, it goes on:

Next Row Ssk, k2tog, k- (0, 0, 1) - (2, 2, 3) stitches. Purl 1 row.

Bind off.

I don't understand how one can knit 0-2 stitches.
If I work the decreases as instructed, by the time I get to the bind off row, I have only 2 stitches on my needle, and it looked really funky after I did the binding off. Can't imagine sewing a seam there.

I have not found an errata for the pattern and no one on ravelry has noted any problems, so I assume the problem is one of mine and my inability to interpret the pattern due to ignorance.

Please let me know if my question is confusing. I appreciate any help I can get. I was having so much fun with this project until now :(

[hazel75]

I think I may have worked out my problems skimming through old questions in the forum.

Is it possible that in: "Next Row K1, ssk, k1 (2, 2, 3), k2tog, k1-5 (6, 6, 7)" that k1-5(6, 6, 7) -- mean it means Knit 1 [end], and the rest of the number are the total number of stitches for the row. I guess what I was reading as a hyphen could have been a dash.

This would bean that I am supposed to have only 2 stitches when I bind off. Sigh.

[suzeeq]

On this row - K1, ssk, k1 (2, 2, 3), k2tog, k1-5 (6, 6, 7) stitches. - you do only work over 8 sts, the - 5 (6, 6, 7) stitches is how many you have left at the end of the row. You started with 8 and do 2 decs leaving you with 6.

When a pattern says to k0 for your size, you skip it and go to the next instruction. So for this row - Ssk, k2tog, k (0, 0, 1) - (2, 2, 3) stitches. - all you do is ssk, k2tog and you have 2 sts left. Yes, then you BO those 2 sts.