abbreviation help, please!

alexandrapolk · 10-13-2007, 11:06 PM

i am working on a children's cardigan and am wondering what the abbreviation "0" is, as well as "P0". In some of the lists it says "0" means "no sts, times or rows" but i don't really understand that. Does that mean slip it unworked or is it like a yarn-over? Also, I'm finding things like PO {3-0-3}. I'm assuming the numbers in the brackets relate to the size (I am doing the largest size), but how does one P0 for 3 stitches? It's at the end of the row and I'm guessing I'm not supposed to pass the last 3 stitches unworked.

Any suggestions would be VERY helpful. Thanks!

suzeeq · 10-14-2007, 04:23 AM

You don't do anything to your knitting if 0 is given for your size, go on to the next instruction. You only `skip it' with your eyes. In your example, for doing the 2nd and largest size, you have 3 sts at the end of the row and you purl those. The smallest and third size probably don't have those 3 sts so you would do nothing if you were making those sizes.

alexandrapolk · 10-14-2007, 04:28 AM

hi sue!

thanks so much. that definitely makes sense for the example I gave with the P0{3-0-3}, but what about a 0{1-0-1}? you don't actually move the stitch?

isabeau · 10-14-2007, 04:33 AM

A lot of times patterns will have one size not in brackets and the other sizes in brackets -- like K11 [13, 15, 17]. I suspect that may be the case here: it's not that you P0 three times, it's that you P3, if you're using one of the sizes that has the three listed. With P0 [3,0,3] you P0 if you're doing the "default" size, P3 if you're doing the next size up, P0 if you're doing the size above that, and P3 if you're doing the largest size.

suzeeq · 10-14-2007, 04:34 AM

No, if the size you're doing has a 0 in the brackets, you don't do anything. These kinds of instructions are for when there's a different number of sts on the needles and the sts you work have to come out right for the st pattern. So that's going to vary by size.

alexandrapolk · 10-14-2007, 04:52 AM

THANK YOU so much for your responses. I understand that I follow the number in the bracket for my size...what I still don't get is this example: 0{1-0-1}. Because in this example, the 0 is the INSTRUCTION before the parentheses. How do I do a "0" for 1 stitch? I follow that the last 1 in the bracket is my size...but what to do with that stitch? I think this confusion has screwed up my diamond pattern so I'm waiting to start anew.

Again, thanks for your replies. I'm getting there!

knitqueen · 10-14-2007, 04:59 AM

The '0' that is outside the brackets is only for the smallest size. You do nothing with that '0'. It's what comes before the numbers that matters - whether it says knit 0(1-0-1) (if this is the case, for your size all you do with this instruction is knit 1) or purl 0(1-0-1) (again, for your size this would mean purl 1) or whatever the case may be.

alexandrapolk · 10-14-2007, 05:07 AM

oooooohhhkay. yes. it said (K2, P1) 0 {1-0-1}. so now i understand! (i wonder why the middle size doesn't need the k2, p1--but oh well) thank you so much, everyone! i only have a little to unravel and i am no longer feeling STUCK.

YAY