Knitting pattern help - shaping and keeping pattern correct

[WhenDoISleep]

Is anyone able to help with an instruction in a knitting pattern? It is for a chunky rib muffler (the pattern is Rib Muffler by Erika Knight if anyone knows it).

The pattern is a simple 2 row repeat:

(K3, P1) x 3, K3 (15 stitches)
K1, (P1, K3) x 3, P1, K1 (15 stitches)

for ten rows.

The next instruction is ‘keeping pattern correct dec one st at both ends of every row until 5 stitches remain’.

Then cast off.

I get that I am supposed to decrease one stitch at the beginning and one stich at the end of each of the next 5 rows to provide the shaping but I am confusing myself about how I keep to the pattern in between the decreases.

Any help would be appreciated.

First decrease row K2 tog K1 P1 then the pattern as stated until the end then K1 K2 together

When you start the next row the K1 has already gone so begin P2 together K2

When you get to the end of that row the last K1 is gone so the last repeat will be P1 K2 P2 together.

What you are aiming for when you get to your last 5 stitches is
P1 k3 P1, So you need to keep the stitches either side of this central 5 the same. Hope this makes sense

Thanks - I will give it ago.

I got so confused last night and tried half a dozen times. I think I am going to cast on another 15 stitches and do a test version to check it is right before finishing the garment.

If you are going to do a test piece, you might want to,try this imstead.

Instead of decreasing by knitting or purling 2 together on the last stitch you can do it the one before. It gives a neater edge. I did not want to confuse you before,

Sometimes it helps to sketch or write this out on a scrap of paper. So draw a quick picture of it stitch by stitch, then strike through a stitch either side; then again where you'd dec again.

Also, as you knit, start to become aware of the effect each type of stitch has on the wrong and right side. Eventually, you'll be able to eyeball it and know what the next stitch is, by observing what the st below it is...

Sounds obvious but I think a lot of people early in their knitting career are not relaxing with it yet, enough to the point of becoming observant then trusting themselves to observe correctly! Once you do - you take control of your knitting.

Thanks to both of you.

I finally managed to get it right - I ended up writing out the individual stitches in excel before knitting a test version.

I'm generally fine with most instructions, this one just completely threw me and I got a bit of a block about it I think.

Thanks for your help.

Is there any chance of a picture, I am really curios. Happy new year