Okay, so the pattern says to decrease at the beginning and end of the third row and every 8th row after. It’s a 2×2 rib. I decreased in the knit stitches – p2, k2 (this is where I decreased) p2 pat to end.
What do I do on the next row – start over with k2, p2 and keep going regardless of what the ribs were before? What about the 8th row?
I don’t know why this is confusing me. But it is. Thanks so much for your help.
Your edge stitches are selvage stitches so get caught up in seaming. I usually decrease immediately following or preceding that stitch, choosing my method of decreasing to maintain the ribbing pattern as much as possible (in this case for the first decrease: p1, ssk, k1, *(p2,k2) to last 3st, k2tog, p1; the next time I would adjust the dec direction/leaning to stay in pattern-ish). You end up with a cool chevron ribbing pattern along the seam.
Don’t ignore the ribbing. If you do, your ribbing won’t turn out right. So, after you decrease in whatever fashion you want, just make sure you are following the ribbing of the stitches below. Toni’s explanation is good.