In the first direction, you're doing a twist. It's like doing a 1/1 cable, but without a cable needle. Basically, you're knitting the stitches out of order--the second one from the tip first, then the one closest to the tip. You knit the second from the tip but don't slide it off, then knit the one closest to the tip and slide them off together. You'll have two stitches, but they'll be crossed.
For the second instruction, knit 1, then slip 2 with the yarn in back--just slip them as if to purl, without knitting them. Then knit 3 and repeat the slip2/knit3 sequence.
"Trust the pattern!"
Time flies like an arrow, but fruit flies like a banana.
Hop aboard while we follow the cloud-covered van of knitting harmony, man!! Woooo!! --Hedgehog
IngridKH on Ravelry