Make sure you check the version of the book you get this pattern from.
Apparently the first issue has errors, and I didn’t find this out until I was doing the strap (and thinking I was crazy for why I couldn’t figure it out).
Thankfully, the corrections can be found for this project, and others from the book, at:
purlsoho.com or by doing a google search for “last minute knitted gifts corrections”
I hope this helps someone!