Drops design man's cardigan

Hello Everyone-
I’m wondering if anyone is familiar or has made a DROPS pattern #135-20 a man’s cardigan with shawl collar. I am an accomplished knitter, but am struggling with the pattern directions. Yes, I’ve tried emailing Garn Studio and the person just keeps referring me to their blog, which is of absolutely no help to me.

I hope someone can help me.

Thank you. Kay

What trouble are you having with it? It sometimes helps to read it if you copy and paste the pattern into a doc or text file, then separate each sentence so the lines aren’t all jumbled together. It makes a little more sense that way.

Here is my issue, in the BODY section is says to cast on 227 sts (I’m doing XL) but that isn’t enough stitches for this size and then later it says “left front piece = 39 sts” and “Right front piece work as for left but reverse” and then "BACK PIECE = 99 sts. So am I supposed to cast on those additional sts at the same time I’m casting on the body stitches? In a photo I saw on Ravelry it looks like the body is worked continually in one piece up to the armholes. It is without a doubt the most confusing pattern I’ve ever tried to read.

Yes, 227 sts sounds like the right amount to cast for all 3 sections. Then you work to the underarm, bind off sts and the 39, 99, 39 is probably what you have left for each piece then, or after you dec for the armhole shaping. If you have a direct link to the pattern we can double check that, but that’s probably what’s going on.

As for 227 ‘not being enough sts’ for the XL, it’s possible that when you’re done with the sweater you’ll add buttonbands which would add an inch or 3 more.

I think this is the link to the pattern. The 227sts [I]is[/I] the entire sweater: button bands, fronts and back. You’ll get to a point where you cast off the button band, pattern across 39sts to the armhole, cast off 6sts for the armhole, pattern across 99sts for the back, cast off 6sts for the armhole, pattern across the remaining sts (then you cast off the other button band on the next row). The 39sts and 99sts are just to let you know how many sts to work for the fronts and back.
So cast on 227sts and all will be well as you knit the body of the sweater up to the armholes. The buttonband cast off is a little unusual but it will work out fine when it joins with the picked up (knitted up) sts for the shawl collar.