Help with Sirdar Pattern 1682 (Baby sweater)

[Marly1]

I'm shaping the left front of a baby sweater w/a shawl collar. The pattern isn't working where the decreases start. I've ripped this out so many times, I could have made ten baby sweaters! This is the pattern:

C/O 31 sts
R1: K1, P2*k2,p2 to last st, K1
R2: P1*k2P2 to last 3 sts, K2,P1
R3: Knit and R4: Purl
R5: Same as Row 1
R6: Same as Row 2
R7: Purl and R8: Knit

Here's the decreases (and where the problem starts):
R1: Work patt to last 2 sts, patt2tog (I purled the last 2 sts) = 30 sts

Since the dec is at the end of this row, how do I start row 2? Do I eliminate the P1, and start the row with K2? Or start with a P1 and continue the row?

Then, you dec 1 st at each front edge in the 3rd row, and then every foll 4th row. Somehow, my pattern has shifted left 1 or 2 sts. The only difference is the dec is at the end of the 1st row, and all other dec are at the beg of the rows. I eliminated the P1 in row 2, and then eliminated an equal number of sts in the rows after the decreases. Doesn't look right. What am I doing wrong?

Help!!!

[Ingrid]

The easiest way to explain it and for you to do it is for you to knit the knits and purl the purls as they face you. Do the decrease in whatever stitch that end one would be if the pattern were continuing--so if it would have been a knit, knit 2 tog; a purl, purl 2 tog.

Just look at your knitting and knit into the v's and purl into the bumps an your pattern should stay even.

[Marly1]

Thanks-My question I guess is, how do I adjust the pattern for the decreases in the stitches so that the pattern is lined up properly? The end of the 1st row has a decrease, so do I then not knit the 1st stitch of the pattern in the next row to make up for the decrease in the previous row? Then, when I decrease the 1st st of the foll rows, would I then eliminate let's say the 1st 3 sts of the pattern after I have decreased 3 times?

Marlene

[Ingrid]

Yes. If your pattern was

xooxxooxxooxxooxxoox and you've decreased at each end, you'd have

ooxxooxxooxxooxxoo - You eliminate the decreased stitches froom the pattern.

[Marly1]

Sorry to be so thick about it, but are you saying that if I decrease 1 st at the END of a row (as in R1 of this pattern), then I would eliminate 1 st at the END of the foll row. And if I decrease 1 st at the BEG of the row (which I do for all the other decreases), I would eliminate 1st from the BEG of the foll row?

My other question is...R1 I do 1 decrease, so I eliminate 1 st from the patt on the next row.

As I continue my decreases, ie R3 I do another decrease. Foll row do I then eliminate 1 st from patt, or 2 sts from patt (total of 2 dec to this point). By R7 I do another decrease. Do I eliminate 3 sts from patt, or just 1 st from pattern after each decrease?

Thanks-I'm just so frustrated!

Marlene

[Ingrid]

If you decrease at the end of a row, you eliminate the first stitch of the next row.

If you decrease at the beginning of a row, you eliminate the last stitch of the next row.

Once a stitch is gone, it's gone, so you eliminate as many stitches as you have decreased so far.

[Marly1]

Thanks so much....I'll work on it over the weekend, and let you know how it comes out!!!

Marlene