Help reading multi sized pattern what does bold between () mean?

[Lauralovestoknit]

Hi could anyone please help to me understand what it means when a multi sized pattern has some instructions in bold? Does it mean if your sized is bold then you do what it's asking but if not bold then doesn't apply?

Ie. Decrease at each end of next next and foll 4th (alt-alt-alt) rows until 68(44-62-84) sts rem, then in alt (every-every-every) row/s until 40(42-44-46-48) rows

I am making the second smallest size

Does that mean I decrease at each end and the next 4 altnating rows till I have 44 sts then every row till 42?

Thanks for your help!!

[Jan in CA]

Hmm... I've never seen it that way before. I wonder if they aren't just separating the directions so it's easier to read? What pattern is it?

[Lauralovestoknit]

It's from patons big baby book, which is made in Australia perhaps they write their patterns differently? Yeah I wondered if it was just to make it easier to read. Assuming that it doesn't mean anything am I correct with how I would do the decreases? Thanks for your help!

[suzeeq]

The bolded words and numbers are just to separate them a little more. Just follow the numbers for the size you need.

So for the second size, dec on the next row then every 4th row until you're down to 44 sts; then dec every other row one more time so you have 42 stitches.

[fatoldladyinpjs]

It helps to print the pattern out and circle the numbers for the size you need. That way you won't get confused. In multi size patterns like this, you may come across directions like increase (0,1,1) times. This means that for the smallest size you wouldn't do any increase.