The instructions are to make a double yarn over. You are decreasing 2 stitches in the Sl1Psso yox2 K2 tog. The next instruction is a double increase to return you to the original number of stitches It sounds like you are doing a ripple stitch of some kind with this set of stitch instructions.

I'm knitting a purse that will be felted. I think the stick is for the handles, which makes me think it is to be a hole for them.

Ahhh, thank you daylilydazed, I tried it and it worked.

Grandmajudy,
I am glad that I could help. I am working with some bamboo yarn ,Bernat Bamboo and I find it sliding and bunching up so I can't recommend it for a garment but maybe a purse would look great in it. I picked it up last night at Michaels to try it out. I only bought 2 skeins of it. I started working on a hand warmer pattern using it. It feels so silky soft and I love it but I don't think I would like it in a garment.