one skein wonder baby sweater

[can274]

Hi!
I am new to knitting. I am doing a one skein wonder baby sweater.
> Decrease 1 stitch at beginning and end of next row.then every 4 rows 4
> times,then every 2 rows once .You now have 22 stitches. Work even till
> sleve measures6.5"
> Purl 1 row.Bind off in purl.
>
> What does that mean?
> Ann

[cftwo]

It's walking you through the decreases you need to do to shape the sweater.
Row 1: decrease 1 stitch at each end of the row
Next: Knit 3 rows according to the pattern, and decrease 1 stitch at each end of the 4th row. Do this (3 rows regular, 1 row decreasing) a total of 4 times.
Next: Knit 1 row according to the pattern, and decrease 1 stitch at each end of the 2nd row.
Now you'll have 22 stitches, if you did this right.
Keep knitting those 22 stitches, following the pattern stitch, until the sleeve is 6.5 inches long.
Then purl 1 row.
Bind off (cast off), in purl. There are some videos here on how to bind off different ways. I'd refer to those if this has you stuck - I can't begin to try to describe it in words!

HTH.

[MerigoldinWA]

Decrease 1 stitch at beginning and end of next row.then every 4 rows 4
> times,then every 2 rows once .You now have 22 stitches. Work even till
> sleve measures6.5"
> Purl 1 row.Bind off in purl.

You want to do a decrease on the very next row, which will most likely be a knit row. (I'm assuming st st [knit a row purl a row], but it would be true if it was garter [knit every row] as well) Any decrease will work, but I like paired decreases best in this situation. I would do the increases one in from the edge. So knit one, then do a SSK then work across to the last 3 stitches, K2tog and knit the last stitch. Then work a row and count it as #1, work another row, #2, and then a row #3. The next row will be row #4 and you work the decreases again the same way you did the first ones.

Then you count 3 and decrease the 4th row, and do it two more times so that you have counted 3 and decreased on the 4th row 4 times.

Then do one row and decrease again. You should now have 22 stitches on the needle. So from that point don't do any more decreases. Keep working until you have a total of 6 1/2 inches measured in the middle of the top of the sleeve to the edge.

Now purl one row. They want you to bind off in purl, which means instead of knitting the stitches as you bind them off, you will purl them but bind them off the same way you usually do.

If you haven't learned to decrease yet see the video section at the top on decreases.