Wow. I am a jackass.
So the charts all have this red line boxing in certain stitches. I have a b & w printer, and don’t read instructions well at the best of times, so missed them completely. Therefore, I would knit the row over and over and over again until the knitted row was done, and then start again on the next row. The funny thing is - it worked out. HOWEVER - the stitch count by the end of my second star chart was… well, double. (The pattern does look a little crazy…)
Is this because it’s my first time reading a chart and didn’t know what that little outline meant? I am using the fact that I found the answer to my question on Ravelry from Liz herself, which is evidence that, yes, it is beginners luck.
Are you repeating the stitches within the red lines?
The set up chart includes all the stitches, but by the time you get to the rest of the charts, the shawl is too large to include all the stitches on the chart. You knit the stitches on the right of the first red line, then repeat the stitches between the red lines till you have just enough stitches left on that side to finish by knitting the stitches to the left of the red lines.
In chart 1, every pattern row is essentially the same. You knit the selvage stitches, make a 1-into-3 star, the alternate k1 and 3-into-3 stars across the first half, finishing the half with a k1 and a 1-into-1 star, knit the center stitch thru the back loop, then repeat for the second side. Each 3-into-3 star should be made from one stitch from the star below and right, the plain stitch dirrectly below and one stitch from the star below and left.
The only reason there are 8 rows given in the star chart, is so that the stitch count is correct when you move into the transition chart.
Hope this helps,
liz
I can’t believe I have to frog again. Cocky ‘lil me didn’t use a lifeline. siiiiighhhh… on the bright side - it will knit up faster now that I am not making so many xtra stitches. zoooooom!