Baby sweater pattern help

#1

Hey All,
I’ve only ever made one sweater and it was ages ago. My Best Friend is due in February and I wanted to give it another shot for her new baby girl.
The pattern is going great, I can’t find a link for it on the internet or I would post a picture of you all.
I’ve completed the back with no problems, I began work on the front and I’ve got past the pretty pattern part and I’m working my way up to the neck shaping. I’ve read ahead a bit and I’m afraid I just don’t understand the next step (Shape Neck). Hope you all can help. It’s knit in panels (front, back, sleeves) and it’s knit from the bottom up. It has a collar that will go all the way around like a bib or a clown collar, i’ll pick up the stitches for that later. I currently have 47 stitches on my needle and I’ve already decreased for armhole shaping so I’m going into the next step with those 47 stitches. Hope all that can help. Anyway, I’ll type out the next step :

NR(RS)- Patt 20 sts, turn on these stitches only ([COLOR=“Red”]this is the first and only mention of turning and I really don’t understand![/COLOR])
Dec 1 st at neck edge next 3 rows, then every other row 3 times-14 sts remain for shoulder.([COLOR=“Red”]I don’t understand!!)[/COLOR]Cont straight until front meas same as back to shoulder,end with a WS row ([COLOR=“Red”]I totally get this[/COLOR])
Cast off loosely ([COLOR=“Red”]I can do this too!)[/COLOR]

I only included the stitch counts and repeats that applied to my size but if it helps I can include the other sizes later.

I can tell that these instructions are fairly simple for someone who does this a lot. I’m really enjoying the pattern so I’m very hopeful someone can give me a hand so I can move along.

Thanks everyone!
XOXOX
MEG

#2

“NR(RS)- Patt 20 sts, turn on these stitches only ([COLOR=Red]this is the first and only mention of turning and I really don’t understand![/COLOR])”

You work across part of the stitches and turn as if you were at the end of the row. Now you’re on the WS and will do the next instructions only on the 20 sts.

“Dec 1 st at neck edge next 3 rows, then every other row 3 times-14 sts remain for shoulder.([COLOR=Red]I don’t understand!!)[/COLOR]”

The beg of this ws row is the neck edge, dec on that row, then at the end of the rs row, then at the beg of the next row which is also the WS row. From now on you dec only every other row, so do another RS row and dec on the WS rows 3 times and you should be down to 14 sts.

#3

I think I get it…I was expecting the neck hole to develop in the middle of the work-that’s not going to happen?? I’ll have a piece of fabric in the end that will be shaped sort of like a pear? I’m doing the decreases at the beginning and end of the rows, not in the middle?
So the first row when it says Patt 20 stitches, I understand I work in the pattern for the first 20 stitches but what’s all the talk of turning? I think I’m getting it but I may need it explained in a different way.

Suzeeq I’m sure you can’t remember all the people you help but this actually not the first time you’ve saved my butt! We are all so lucky to have you!!

Thanks in advance

#4

Woops I didn’t see your instructions it the middle there. Let me think about this for a minute

#5

You are making a neck in the middle; after you get this shoulder done, you work on 20 sts at the other edge of the whole piece, leaving 7 sts in the middle for the neck.

Turning is just like you turn at the end of the row - except you’ve only worked over 20 of the 47 sts. You patt 20 sts on the RS, turn the work around so the WS is facing and do a decrease.

#6

Ok So I see now that the neck will open up in the middle :slight_smile: LOL. So after I bind off the instructions say
With RSF, return to stitches on hold, (so this is the other half of the front…the other 27sts?) slip next 7 sts to holder for centre front, ( I assume these are the stitches in the middle, on the neck edge? What on earth do I need these for? Shaping the collar?), rejoin yarn and work 2nd half to match, reverse shapings.
Would you believe that I didn’t even notice the other instructions? LOL. Oh my I was so irritated by not understanding the pattern I didn’t even see it.
Thank you so much. Just to be very clear, I will work in the pattern for the first 20 stitches then TURN and do my first decrease?

#7

YOU’RE A GENIUS!!! OMG! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
XOXOXOXOX
xxoxoxox

#8

Yep, put the middle 7 sts on a holder and they’ll be used later for the neckband. It helps to briefly the whole pattern so you get an idea how it’s constructed and what goes where.

And when you work over the 20 remaining sts, you do a dec at the beginning, next to the sts on hold. That’s the neck edge and all neck decs will be done there. So put 7 on hold, take your new yarn end, dec and work across the RS row. Turn to the WS and work to the end of the sts, dec there, turn to the RS, dec and finish the row. Then do a WS row plain, and on the next RS row dec at the beg, and at the beg of the next 2 RS rows as well.

Heh, I’m not so much a genius as just having knit a few patterns in my time. Experience helps.