Can you help?

Hi there,
I am new to this forum. I haven’t even figured out yet how to start my new post- I mean I don’t know where to post it- I don’t see any place where I can start my own new post.

Although I have been knitting for a long time, I use to do simple things like mufflers and hats. I just started my first sweater and got stuck at this instruction for [U]Shaping Shoulders and neck[/U]: Please see if you can help me understand this in simple language. I used Classic Knits by Erika Knight: Page 62:
Next Row (RS): Bind off 4 sts, k until there are 4 sts on the right-hand needle, then turn. Bind off rem 4 sts. With RS facing, rejoin yarn to rem sts and bind off center 8 sts, then k to end. Complete to match first side, reversing all shaping.

I just can’t wrap my head around this portion. Can you please explain?

Thank you,
Knitdoc

Hi knittingdoc and welcome!
I moved your post to its own thread.
You’re binding off the left shoulder sts in two sets of 4sts, then binding off the center 8sts and finally finishing the 8 right shoulder sts in two sets of 4sts to match the left shoulder.
So bind off the first 4sts, knit 3 more sts (that’ll be a total of 4 sts on the right needle) turn as you would at the end of the row and with the WS facing, bind off those 4sts.
With a new strand of yarn, RS facing you again, bind off the 8 center sts and knit to the end of the row.
Now for the right shoulder, with the WS facing, bind off 4sts, work the remaining 4sts, turn and bind off those sts.

Thank you Mac.

Another quick question- I generally see a little depression for a neck in the sweaters- this means that my pattern is a staraight bind off with no a huge botheration to shape the depression of the neck. Is that correct?

Thank you again,

Kinttingdoc

This pattern will give you a very slight depression on the center 8sts. That’s because you turn before the center bind off on the left shoulder and then bind off the last 4sts. There’ll be an extra row on the right shoulder which is OK.

thank you so much