Confusing Pattern: "Work ring side-to-side"

#1

[COLOR=“green”]Before going any further, I will admit I am trying to make a DOG sweater (waiting for laughter to stop).[/COLOR]

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[COLOR=“Green”]This is my first attempt to knit in the round on a circular needle, and using stranded (multi-color) knitting. So far it was going ok until I hit this section of the pattern I cannot figure out.

I am knitting the largest size of the sweater. [/COLOR]
[I]
Instructions:

With smaller circular needle and CC1, cast on 40(48, 56, 64) stitches. Place marker and join to begin working in the rounds. Work k1, p1 rib for 6 rounds.

On next round, switch to larger circular needle and knit to 1 stitch before end of round, m1, place marker, k1, m1. 42(50, 58, 66) stitches. The 2 stitches between the markers are the beginning of the belly of the sweater.

On next round, work Row I of Chart A, increasing as follows: Work Chart A as directed to first marker. Slip marker, m1, k2, m1, slip marker at end of round. Increase 2 stitches between markers by working m1 increases after first marker and before second marker every row for 2-6(2-6, 2-10, 2-14) of Chart A. 54(62, 78, 94) stitches. Between markers, simply alternate working colors.

Next row: Work Chart A as established to first marker. Place next 14(14, 22, 30) stitches on holder and set aside.

[COLOR=“Red”]Everything is OK until I get here, then this is where I am confused:[/COLOR]
Turn work, and work ring side-to-side, work remaining rows of Chart A over the remaining 40(48, 56, 64) live stitches. In pattern, increase 1 stitch at each end of needle every RS row 0(0, 3, 5) times. 40(48, 62, 74) stitches.

After finishing Chart A, work 1(1, 3, 5) row(s) even in MC and set aside.[/I]

[COLOR=“green”]First Question:[/COLOR]
[COLOR=“green”]When I get to the “ring side-to-side” section above, I assume this means I get out an extra size 7 needle and knit the 64 stitches on the circular 7 needle (like in regular 2 needle knitting). Is this right??? I would flip it over when I hit the end of the row, and purl the next row on the “wrong side” of the fabric, and so on.

Here is my next problem:
I have already worked 15 rows of Chart A when I hit the “ring side-to-side” paragraph. Chart A has 18 rows total. So, I have 3 rows of chart A left, right???

But the instructions above say that I need to increase 2 stitches on every RS (right-side) row 5 times for the largest size pattern, to get to a total of 74 stitches (start with 64, 5x2=10, so 74). But that would mean I need to work 10 more rows (5 RS, 5 WS), and I only have 3 rows on Chart A left to work, right??

I know I am missing something basic here…

Any thoughts?[/COLOR]



#2

Is this knit neck-down, or bottom-up? It sounds like you’re knitting a tube, but then you take 30 stitches off your circ needle and put them on a holder- leaving you with only part of the tube on your circular needle. This is the part you then work back and forth. You don’t need an extra needle, though, you just use the two ends of the circ as if they were two separate needles. Yes, you flip it over and purl the wrong side, just like regular two-needle knitting.

The increases happen at the beginning and end of each right side row, so you’re increasing two stitches in each of 5 rows. Two of those would happen in the 3 rows of chart you have left, then the other three in the 5 rows you work in MC after you finish the chart.

Hope that makes sense! If not, feel free to ask more questions. :slight_smile:

#3

I didn’t take time to give your problem any thought, maybe what Carey says if right, and is all you need. But a light bulb went on about this pattern. Feb. 1 this dog sweater was featured in the gallery and the lady who made it planned to do 3 more. Maybe you could private message her and she could help you. Here is a link to the thread.

#4

Thanks very much - it is knit neck down. I finally understand I don;t need the spare needle, and that I just knit back and forth, knit row, purl row, etc. on the circular needle. OK, first problem solved.

I am still trying to reconcile the number of rows however.

So, after I knit row 15 of Chart A, I take 30 stitches off and put them on a holder. Then I have 64 stitches still on the circular needle.

So I flip the work, and purl row 16 of Chart A - no increases here, since this is a WS; hence, still 64 stitches.

Row 17 of Chart A is a knit row, RS, so I add one stitch at the beginning and one at the end; now I have 66 stitches.

Row 18 of Chart is a purl, no increases, still have 66 stitches at end.

Now Chart A is done, and I move onto the MC - (I will call this MC row 1) - and it is a knit row, increase 2 stitches; total 68

MC row 2 - purl; total 68
MC row 3 - knit, increase 2; total 70
MC row 4 - purl; total 70
MC row 5 - knit, increase 2; total 72
MC row 6 - purl; total 72
MC row 7 - knit, increase 2; yay!! total 74

Is this right?

Do I know STILL knit another 5 rows in the MC with no increases before I set this section aside?

Is that what it means when it says “work 5 rows even”?

#5

Thanks very much - it is the same one!! I am knitting a larger version and using different colors, but from her post I am hoping she had to figure out the same problem I am grappling with (I finally understand the concept of using only the circular needle, so one problem down at least!)

#6

OK, you’ve stumped me on that one! It sounds like an error to me- you should be able to get the number of stitches called for (74) in the number of rows given (3 remaining chart rows + 5 ‘even’ rows) but I can’t make it work out.

“work 5 rows even” means just knit in St st rather than following the chart or pattern. I can’t make the math work, though, so… I guess I would go ahead and work 7 rows even instead of 5 so you get your stitch count right. You’re eventually going to join it with the other stitches back into a round again, and I think it will work out…

#7

Thanks Abbily-

The dog I am knitting the sweater for actually ate the work I just did, and crunched my circular needle, so I need to visit the yarn store tomorrow to buy a new one. I am going to bring the pattern and ask them. I had to rip everything out and will start over, so maybe I can find my mistake (if it is mine).

Thanks again for following back up!!