Another question on this Drops pattern - armholes

Thanks for the help in figuring out the instructions on this Drops Bayou Belle pattern for this newbie garmet knitter. https://www.garnstudio.com/pattern.php?id=10919&cid=17

Now that I’ve finished most of the back piece, I need help deciphering the armhole & neck directions. I currently have 70 stitches. The instructions are confusing as it implies that each armhole is created “separately” but I imagine I’m doing decreases on both the left & right sides and creating the neck in the middle??

They read:

Bind off 2 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows for the armholes
Q: I’m on the RS, I bind off the first 2 stiches and continue to knit to the end of the row (now have 68 live stitches) then turn the piece (on WS) and bind off the 2 stitches and knit to end of the row (end up with 66 stiches)?

Now the even more confusing (and scary :smiley: part):
Continue with stockinette stitch and decrease 1 stitch on each side of every row from the right side 1times. AT THE SAME TIME when the piece measures 34 cm and the next row is from the right side bind off the middle 18 stitches for the neck. Each shoulder is finished separately.

Continue to decrease for the armhole and decrease 1 stitch for the neck on each row from the right side 5 times - remember DECREASE TIP. When all the decreases for armhole and neck are finished there are 7 stitches. Work until the piece measures 41cm . Bind off with knit from the right side

QUESTIONS
A) When it says “decrease” - am I decreasing with SSK & P2TOG? I’m on RS and decrease the first stitch and knit across … then turn over and decrease again (?) and purl on WS repeat this until the length of the back side is 34 cm and then bind off the middle 18 stitches for the neck.

B) Where is says "each shoulder is finished separately" there are no instructions on doing the other shoulder. Shouldn’t I be decreasing right and left as I work across to create both armholes?

Again, thanks for your help on this!

There is no stopping you. You’re doing very will with this pattern.

Bind off 2 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows for the armholes. Yes, bind off 2 at the beginning of the RS row, work to the end then turn and bind off 2 at the beginning of the WS row.

For the following decreases of a single stitch each side you can use a SSK near the beginning of the RS row and a K2Tog near the end. You’ll be working these decreases on RS rows. It is neater to make these decreases one stitch in from the ends to leave an edge so you can later pick up sts for the armhole borders. Continue the armhole decreases on every RS row 12 times for the first size. Keep measuring until you get to the bind off of the center sts.

Once you’ve bound off the center sts you’ll have the two shoulders. You can work one shoulder at a time. Decrease one stitch at the neck edge (or one stitch in from the neck edge) on every RS row 5 times. You’ll still continue the armhole decreases also on RS rows as you work these neck decreases.

If you would like you can work both shoulders at the same time by attaching a second ball of yarn to the second shoulder. Work the same decreases at armhole and neck on the RS rows.

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