Help?

[knitting_needle_ninja]

I'm working on a lace shawl, and this is my first time reading a chart. I have a few questions that I hope someone can help me with:

~one of the directions says "slip 1, slip 1, then insert left needle tip into fronts of these and knit them." They way I understand this, you're just moving them from the left needle to the right, back to the left again, and knitting them together. Is that just to twist the stitches then?

~another part says "slip 1, knit 2 tog. Pass slip stitch." I get the idea of slipping a stitch and the k2tog. But what about that last part? Do I take the stitch I just made and put it back on the left needle? How do I pass a stitch when I've already knitted the next one?

~Now for the stupid question: This all comes from a chart, so one block equals one stitch, right? That last step would take three or four stitches, but it's still only one symbol. How does that work with the counting?


Assistance appreciated!  

[Tinuvial]

The first stitch you described is a SSK a video instructing you on how to do it can be found at Knitting Help. The purpose is to twist the stitches so they don't look all loose and saggy (this would happen if you slipped both stitches purlwise). I prefer the SSK "improved" (also on knitting help) where you slip the second stitch purl-wise. I feel like it's a cleaner looking decrease. You can watch the videos and look at the examples to decide which look you prefer for your lace.

The second decrease is a handy double decrease that is centered (so it leans from both the left and right). You simply reach over the completed k2tog stitch on your right needle to grab the slipped stitch with your left needle. Then just lift it up and over the K2tog stitch and let if fall off of the needle. This is also demonstrated on the knitting help website as a "SKP aka sl1, k1, psso." The only difference is that you'll be doing a k2tog instead of k1. But that video will clearly show how to pass the slipped stitch over. One tip is to try and do this maneuver close to the edge of the needles so you don't have to stretch the slipped stitch out to pass it over the k2tog.

It's true that the SKP stitch takes 3 stitches to complete, but when you finish it you have only one stitch remaining. That's why it's all in one block.

Do you mind if I ask what shawl you're making? While I'm no stranger to charts I've not yet made an intricate lace shawl. I plan to fix that towards the end of this summer, though! I'm always looking for ideas of what shawl to knit.

Good luck, and do let us know how things are working out!  

[knitting_needle_ninja]

Thank you so much for your help! That's really a lot clearer!

There's a link to the pattern in my journal. It's a PDF download, so it's actually to the google page where I found it.