Petranese explained – counting and special stitch placement

Counting Stitches

0 = next stitch

+1 = 1 stitch ahead of the next stitch

+2 = 2 stitches ahead of the next stitch

+3 = 3 stitches ahead of the next stitch

-1 =  1 stitch behind next stitch/backwards 

-2 = 2 stitches behind next stitch/backwards

-3 = 3 stitches behind next stitch/backwards

Counting Rounds

0 = current / working round

-1 = 1 round below the current round, the   

 round you “normally” work into

-2 = 2 rounds below the current round

-3 = 3 rounds below the current round

Finding Free Front Loops

When we make a back loop stitch (“st in BLO”), the front loop of this stitch stays free. We will use this free front loop in a later round to ‘anchor’ a stitch (“st in FLO”).

Example with numbers: 

Stitches you make in the current round are stitches in ‘Round 0’. 

The stitches you made in the previous round are stitches in ‘Round -1’. 

A stitch you work in BLO in the current round (0-0) leaves a free front loop from the stitch in the previous round (0-1). The front loop belongs to the stitch from ‘Round -1’. In the next round, this will be a free front loop of the stitch from ‘Round -2’ – the FLO of the st 2 rounds below. (0-2).

  • The last round finished (no dots underneath front loops) are front loops of the stitches 1 round below (-1)
  • The blue dots underneath the free front loops indicate the front loops of the stitches 2 rounds below (-2)
  • The green dots underneath the free front loops indicate the front loops of the stitches 3 rounds below (-3)
  • The red dots underneath the free front loops indicate the front loops of the stitches 4 rounds below (-4)  

Placing stitch markers into the free front loops after you worked a sc in BLO in the current round will be helpful to find the front loops more easily later on.