Hi Everyone!
I’ve barely started on this pattern and have a couple how-to and why questions I hope someone can answer - Lion Brand 638 Dancing Star Baby Bunting.
I know how to cast on at the beginning or the end of a row. However, I do not understand 1) how is casting on at the beginning of the next row different than casting on more stitches at the end of the current row, and 2) why do I need to cast on at the beginning with separate yarn?
So, for Question 1 - it says “Row 2: P4, CO 3. Row 3: CO2, K7”. Why can’t I cast CO5 in Row 2? Also, for Row 3, it says “CO2, K7 = 9 sts”. When you CO, don’t you have to knit those cast-on stitches so, in order to get 9 stitches on one needle, you would CO2, K9 for 9 sts?
Question 2 - how does starting with a separate yarn affect the design? I’ve tried it but cannot tell the difference between that and continuing to use the working yarn.
Perhaps I should be using different cast-on methods for beginning and end of rows?
Any help and education you can provide would be amazing. I very much like to learn about all the details and intricacies so that I can actually understand instead of just follow what the pattern says even though I don’t understand the purpose behind it.
You will be casting on 2 sts (however you choose to do the CO) onto the needle in your left hand. When you knit those 2 plus the 7 on the needle, you’ll have 9sts. That follows for the rest of the instructions as well.
I don’t see any reason in the pattern to CO with a separate yarn. You’re right, use the working yarn. And yes, it doesn’t matter whether you CO 3sts at the end of row 2 and 2 sts at the beginning of row 3 or 5sts at the end of row 2. Just don’t forget to CO the correct total of sts.
It’s a very cute pattern and will be adorable.
It doesn’t say you use a different yarn, I can’t see where you’re getting that. Use the knit or cable CO at the beg of the row. And yep, CO at the end or beg of a row is the same thing, so it doesn’t matter if you p4, turn and CO5, you still get 9 sts.
salmonmac - from your explanation, it sounds like when the instructions say CO2, K7 = 9 sts, it means CO2, K2 (the newly cast-on), K7 (the existing stitches).
That makes total sense, but I didn’t understand why they chose to write it the way they did. Nor why they don’t instruct people to either CO at beginning or end - why both?! I guess I will stop asking why and just knit!
suzeeq - there is a note under ‘Back’ which reads ‘Use a separate strange of yarn when casting on at beg of rows.’ Again, not sure why they would specifically write that note if it doesn’t matter whether I use working yarn or new yarn.
Luckily I only sacrificed 1yd before you wonderful people responded!
A link to the actual pattern helps a lot, even a picture to see what it looks like. If you were doing a LT CO you’d need a separate yarn end, but that’s not usually the CO used at the beg/end of a row, just for starting a piece. For this pattern I can’t imagine why - to use up more yarn maybe…?
The CO at end of row then CO at beg of row instructions are there to follow the ‘use a new end to CO at beg of row’ idea, so that’s why they specify end/beg COs. But since you CO at the beg of every other row for several rows, it doesn’t make sense - you’d have an awful lot of ends to weave in. The pattern doesn’t say anything specific about those ends, or that they’re needed, so just use the working yarn and CO both sets of sts at beg of the rows.
“salmonmac - from your explanation, it sounds like when the instructions say CO2, K7 = 9 sts, it means CO2, K2 (the newly cast-on), K7 (the existing stitches).”
Exactly. I don’t know why it’s written as is but clearly tha above interpretation works with the numbers and the look of the finished piece. And that holds for following rows as well. Good luck and post a picture of the finished bunting!
