Completely Confused with Sleeve Cast-on

#1

Hi, I’m relatively new to knitting and I’m working on the second sweater I’ve ever knit. It is the Hortensia Wrap. I’ve finished the body and now it’s time to cast on for the sleeves, and I’ve never done it the way this pattern is calling for. I’ve read the instructions over and over and I’m still completely confused and have now idea what it means. I understand the first part about the progress keeper, but when it comes to actually casting on I’m lost. I’m desperate for help, so if anyone could decipher what the instructions mean and explain it to me, I would so appreciate it.

The instructions are as follows:

On armscye back ppk on the stitch (7) rows down from your shoulder at the armsyce edge. Repeat in the same position down the front armscye. With your needle starting at your underarm pk, pick up and knit (64) sts as follows: 2 sts in underarm cast-on, (4) sts one in every row, (19) in every 2nd row and (7) sts between shoulder pk.

#2

What a pretty, graceful sweater!

This sweater is knit top down. At some point some sts may have been put on hold and some new sts were cast on at the underarm. Usually it’s 4-6sts which can be cast on with backward loop or knit or cable cast on. Those are the cast on sts that you will now be picking up sts in. So you don’t cast on any new sts at this point, just pick up new sts in the previously cast on sts. Then you’ll continue picking up sts around the armhole opening or armscye.
Here’s a video for picking up sts in case you need it. You’ll be picking up the number of sts your pattern recommends.

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#3

Perhaps the confusion is it says pick up and knit 64 but only lists 32 places?
The 32 will be from the centre of the under arm where you have a marker (pk and I’m guessing you have 2 stitches either side of the marker) and up to the centre shoulder.
The first 2 pick up and knit are in the 2 cast on stitches after the marker.
The next 4 are 1 in each row of the sweater for 4 rows
The next 19 in every other row and the last 7 are between the next marker and the centre top shoulder.
That’s 32.
Then keep going with the instruction reversed
7 between shoulder and marker
19 in every other row
4 in each row
Last 2 are in the cast on under arm stitches before the under arm marker.
That’s 64.

Hope it goes well.

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#4

Thank you for your explanation. It definitely helped me to figure out what I was supposed to do.

#5

Thank you so much, your breakdown of the steps was very helpful!

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#6

Glad to be able to help.
I hope it goes well for you.