Novice knitter, need help!

[suzeeq]

It won't make eyelets if you don't do a yo; and if you do the yo without the k2tog, you'll have too many sts.

[anadavidson]

I had to start over since my daughter unraveled and broke the yarn apart. I am now debating whether to do the eyelet round or just do a normal k2 p1 round as the pattern calls for.

[fatoldladyinpjs]

That's it exactly. Repeat the instuctions between the asterisks. It's a little knitting shorthand.

Sometimes you'll also see these in brackets [ ]. When you do an eyelet, you usually do the decreases on the right side of the work. You'll also do straight knitting without any decreases on the back or wrong side of the work. For instance, some eyelet patterns might have you knit the entire wrong side row after you've done the eyelet decreases, some might have you purl all the stitches.

Right side rows are always an odd number such as 1,3,5,7. Odd or wrong side rows are always even numbers 2,4,6,8. So if your knitting instructions tell you to knit 6 rows, your last row will be a wrong side row which will be completed to the end.

[anadavidson]

So decided to do the eyelet round. Now at the end it says that the k2tog is the first stitch of the next round. Should I count that as the first knit of the two I have to make? It says to work k2 p1 for the next few rounds. If I don't count it as the first knit it looks like I would be knitting a purl which doesn't look right.

[suzeeq]

Right side rows are always an odd number such as 1,3,5,7. Odd or wrong side rows are always even numbers 2,4,6,8.

Actually no, not always. Some patterns will start with the first row as the WS and all odd rows will be the WS and even rows the RS. But the pattern will tell you that.

Ana, yes, if the k2tog is supposed to be the first stitch of the round, then just k1, p1, then go to the k2, p1 pattern and I think everything will work out right.

[salmonmac]

Line up the k2 and p1 so you have a continuous ribbing. You can see it in the picture here of the pink soaker.

[anadavidson]

Thanks everyone for the being very helpful! I continued and now I'm stuck again. Here is what the pattern says:

Round 3: *k6, p2* 8 times; *c6f, p2* 5 times, closing the gap at sr1m as you come to it.

Now, I bet you know those are short rows. The question is, do I k6, p2 8 times then do the other one? Do I close the gap as I start this round? I hope I do since I accidentally already closed it.

Sorry for taking longer, I just finally had the chance to knit and now got stuck again.

Thanks again

[salmonmac]

"Round 3: *k6, p2* 8 times; *c6f, p2* 5 times, closing the gap at sr1m as you come to it."
Yes, you would repeat the first sequence between the asterisks 8 times and then repeat the second set between the asterisks 5 times.
You do want to close the gap and if the stitch at the turn was wrapped (a wrap and turn or w&t short row) then you want to pick up the wrap as you work across the row (short row video). That way it won't show. If your instructions just had you turn without the wrap, then you'd just work across, knitting or purling across the gap.

[anadavidson]

The gap is right when I start the round and I already closed it, so I'm hoping that that is okay? I chose to do the YO method, seemed easier to do and understand.