Help with pattern instructions

How-to Questions
1

I am knitting my first sweater, and am stuck at a point in the pattern instructions. It says:

Knit to M2. This is your front. Put the following 53 sts from M2 to BOR on scrap yarn for back.

53 live sts for front
53 sts on scrap yarn for back

It then goes on to instruct how to knit the back first (BACK: Knit back and both on st st until back measure 17cm from division). before the front. Should I be knitting the front first as the ‘back’ stitches are on the scrap yarn? I can’t understand why the back instructions are first. Please help!

2

Welcome to KH!
Sounds like a mistake in the pattern. What is the name of your pattern?

If the sweater is the same, front and back to this point and since both front and back have 53sts, you could call the live sts the back and proceed with the back directions. If not then skip to the front directions and see if there’s any reason you can’t knit the front first.