Drops top with lace pattern...new question

I opted to purl the yarn over stitch in the body of the sweater, because to knit it seemed to make a more diagonal hole. The pattern diagram is not clear on this. I have been working in reverse stockinette stitch, purling all stitches. Now I need to cast off stitches for the armhole. The pattern says to “knit next round as follows”, so do I knit this round to cast off. and then go back to reverse stockinette? Or do I continue with purling, as I cast off these stitches?
The pictures shown with this pattern are also confusing. The orange colored sweater does not appear to have been done correctly, but it is easier to see what is done in this picture, than it is in the white sweater.

Your pattern says:

When piece measures 32-33-34-35-36 cm knit next round as follows: 82-90-101-112-123 sts (= front piece), cast off 2-3-4-5-6 sts for armhole, 82-90-101-112-123 sts (= back piece), cast off 2-3-4-5-6 sts for armhole. Now complete each piece separately.
I think when they use the word “knit” in this case, they just mean it in the more general sense of “work”. I think you are to purl the row as you have been doing. If you knitted the row it would mess up the stitch you have going across the sweater at underarm level and I see no evidence of that in the picture. When you continue on with the back and the front you just continue in Rev St st, so do it here too. Just purl.

Thank you for (once again) taking the time to look up this pattern. I will purl on! I tried looking you up on Ravelry, but was not successful. I live on the coast here in Washington state. LMV