help! following a chart

[counterGOPI]

ive never followed a chart before so this is all new to me. heres what i'm making:
http://lookingglassknits.blogspot.co...n-pattern.html

heres a close up of the chart:
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1.../sheepyoke.jpg

i knit the collar and did the purl set up row,i have now joined the blue yarn and need to start row 1.

ok now im lost!! eeeekkkkkkkk!
-where do i repeat these areas 4 times? how and where do i increase? how many stitches do i increase for each row?

-how do i know what stitch number is what?

-the black areas oh dear god!! those are giving me a headache just thinking about trying to figure them out!!

please help!!! i'm hoping to make this for my dd's 1st birthday.

[flapjack]

The black areas do not exist. Cease to think about them and don't give it another thought. Seriously.

Edited, because even flapjack the pattern-deciphering genius was befuddled by a pattern, and the advice contained within was confusing.

[counterGOPI]

yay!! yes that totally makes sense!! ok now when/how do i do the 'repeat 4 times' ? more

[flapjack]

AHA!!!! I just re-read the pattern.

Right, think of it as a peacocks tail. You have two side feathers that stay the same, a RH feather, a middle feather and a LH feather- right? The bracketed bits? You're going to do 4 RH feathers, increasing 2 stitches in each feather, a centre feather and then 4 LH feathers, increasing 2 stitches in each feather- so there's actually 11 sections in total, with the plain stitches at the front.
Given this, my numbers were off before. You're knitting 8, placing a marker, [k2 m1, k2 m1, k2, place marker] four times, k6, place marker, [k2, m1, k2, m1, k2 place marker] 4 times, k8. That's your first pattern row. Then you repeat that four more times and do more increases in the next row.

[counterGOPI]

what would i do without you?! seriously?!
ok last question..for now... do i increase on my purl rows too? (even rows)

[counterGOPI]

oh wait i got it! yipee!! on row 7 now!!! im so excited over this!

[flapjack]

Uh-huh. You increase only where the chart does that funny step-type thing in it

WTG on the charted knitting, btw. Starting with a cabled chart would have been a load easier, though.

[weliveintheforest]

you'll have to post progress pics!

[KJoslyn78]

i saw your post in your blog and on rav - it is coming out lovely! I wish i was far enough into knitting to attempt to make one for ds for easter!