Help with Booties Pattern

[syasmin]

Hi, So i am making a set of booties (Knitting Pattern a Day calender 2007; Rainbow Set June 16/17). In the pattern I knitted the top, and made the instep and then picked up stiches on both sides of teh instep. At the end of this the total number of sticthes on the needle are 61. The pattern then says:

"Knit 9 rows decreasing 1 st at each end and 1 st at center of last row. Continue in garter stitch, decreaseing 1 st at each end and k2tog twice in center of every other row 2 times. (50 sts on needle)"

I am totally confused about what I am supposed to do here. To me the math doesn't seem to make sense. How can I have 50 sts remaining.....

The only thing that makes sense to me is if I decrease a total of 3 stitches in the 9 rows (one with the first stitch, one in the center of the last row and one with the last stitch). And then I knit 6 more rows where I decrease a total of 8 stitches (one with the first stitch, one with the last and 2 in the middle of every second row).

Is that what I have to do?

Thanks a lot

Sarah.

[cristeen]

The way I'm reading it is:
Knit 8 rows, and on the 9th row you'll decrease 3 times, once at the beginning, once in the center and once at the end of the row.

Then you continue knitting even in garter stitch, and on row 11, decrease 1 at the beginning, 2 in the center and 1 at the end. Knit row 12, and then repeat row 11.

The math works out, that's decreasing 11 stitches. What isn't clear though is that it only actually tells you to knit 9 rows, not 13. So are you supposed to reach 50 stitches by row 9, or are you knitting more than 9 rows... <shrug>

Just from what you posted, the above is what I would do.

HTH

[syasmin]

Thanks a lot. I think you are right and that's what it means. I'll give it a try and keep you posted (no pun intended!)

[syasmin]

It worked great cristeen. Thanks so much for all your help.