I am working on a cardigan from the pattern book Dale of Norway. I am having difficulty trying to figure out how to do the back and armholes. The pattern has you make the body first, then cast off for the armhole, work the next 120 stitches and then cast off for the other armhole.It says to continue to work back and fronts separately. The next step in the instructions says Back & armholes: Cont pattern as set, cast off 3 sts at the beginning of the first 2 rows, then cast off 2 stitch’s the next two rows, then cast off 1 stitch off the next 8 rows (102 stitches). It then says to continue working until armhole measure 7 1/2 inches. When I start the row and get to the point where I had cast off for the armhole there are only 60 stitches. My confusion is what do I do when I come to the place where I did the cast off for the armhole. Do I turn the work and work back and forth? If so, that does not give me all of the 102 stitches. I have read every book I can find and searched the web looking for some help . Help
Dale of Norway Cardigan pattern
If you worked across the front of the sweater, cast off for the armhole, worked across the back of the sweater and cast off for the armhole, you should be back at the edge of the front with 120 stitches.
120-arm-120-arm
At this point you should be working back and forth on 120 of the stitches.
Did you have the right number of stitches to start?:??
Tell us what you have all the way around. How many stitches in front, how many in back, how many CO for the armhole.:think:
I really appreciate the input you have given me. However, as I look at my project, what I am really struggling with is what to do when I come to the armholes. I have never made a cardigan in this manner. Usually, I make it with back, front, etc., This one is making the body and I just dont understand what I should do at the armholes. If I knit to the armhole, then knit the stitch after the cast off, I have yarn stretched across the castoff armhole. How do I work this and make the armhole the required inches?
If you work to the armhole, then begin your cast-offs, you will be bringing the yarn with you, so the yarn will be where you want it to be for the back. You work across the back, and then you’ll come to the place for the second armhole, bind off there (the yarn will follow) and then work across the front.
So to bind off for the armhole, knit 2, pass the first stitch over the second, knit another, etc, the way you would bind off. Count the final stitch left as one of the back stitches.
Rereading your original post, I realize that you are knitting a cardigan.
You should have the 120 stitches for the back, and after the decreases will end up with the 102.
Work all the way around the sweater, across the front, the first armhole, the back, the second armhole, and then the other front.
Cut your yarn and put the fronts on holders or a spare piece of yarn. Then start working the back only, doing the decreases as listed. After that you’ll put one of the fronts on the needle and work whatever armhole decreases there are on the armhole edge, and then the other front.
THANK YOU!!! I figured it was something simple that I just couldn’t see. The pattern assumes the reader would know to cut the yarn and place the fronts on stitch holders and just work the back. Again, many, many thanks. Now I can get on with this project.