How the Stitches Work

While the individual stitches for My So Called Scarf (horizontal herringbone stitch) are not difficult, their sequence might be confusing, at least they were for me. So I’ve tried to break the sequence down into mini steps with the help of Hermi taking the pictures as I knit and purled the two rows of the pattern.

To repeat the pattern again in a longer form:
*Cast on an even number of stitches.
* Row 1(Right Side) Knit the first stitch, *(Start the pattern sequence)
Sl 1 (slip the next stitch as if to purl it),
K1 (Knit the next stitch),
psso (pass the slipped stitch back over the knitted stitch),
But before dropping the slipped stitch off of the left needle Knit into the
back of the slipped stitch.* (End of pattern sequence)
Continue this sequence until there is only one stitch left. End the row with
Knit 1.

[You have decreased a stitch by the psso, but then you have increased a stitch by knitting into the back of the slipped stitch before transferring it to the right knitting needle. Therefore the number of total stitches remains the same at the end of the row as when you cast on!]

*Row 2 (Wrong Side) *(Start the pattern sequence) P2tog (Purl 2 stitches
together),
Do not slip the combined stitches off the left needle, Purl the first stitch
again, then slip both stitches off the needle.* (End of the pattern
sequence)
Continue this pattern to the end of the row.

[Again you’re decreasing a stitch by purling 2 stitches together, then you’re increasing a stitch by purling into the first purl stitch for a second time. So the stitch count for the row remains the same.]

*Repeat these 2 rows until you run out of yarn, or you obtain the desired length.
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Starting the directions again with the photos, not every concept will have a photo.
*Cast on an even number of stitches.
*Row 1. K 1, *[Fig. 1 Slip first stitch as if to purl]


[Fig. 2 Knit second stitch]


[Fig. 3 psso=pass slipped stitch over knitted stitch],


But before slipping stitch off the left needle...
[Fig. 4 Knitting into back of slipped stitch]


[Fig. 5 Completing stitch in back of Knit stitch]


[Fig. 6 Slipping 2 stitches off the left needle]*
continue pattern until there is only one stitch left in the row. K1. Turn.




*Row 2 *P2tog=Purl 2 stitches together [Fig. 7 Inserting needle into 2 purl stitches]

[Fig. 8 Throwing yarn for purling 2 stitches together]


[Fig. 9 Completing purling 2 stitches together]


Do not slip the stitches off the needle, Purl the first stitch again
[Fig. 10 Going back into the loop of the first purl stitch on the left needle again]


[Fig. 11 Throwing the yarn for purling the first stitch again]


[Fig. 12 Completed stitch, taking 2 stitches off the needle]


[Fig. 13 Stitches are off the needle]* Complete the row with this pattern.