Help with Baby Pattern Sweater: Sirdar (Pattern 1682)

[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!!! Marlene

[dplantlady]

Hi Marly,

You want to maintain the pattern stitch as established while you're decreasing. Seems like the p2tog you did would be fine. Then, as you thought, you'd