I am making (after a detour onto socks and finishing a scarf) a Kim Hargreaves sweater (Cherry) and with Knitqueen’s decoding, have finished the back. The next set of directions, written totally in knitting Greek, read" Left Front: Cash on 78 stitches (this is the only part I understand!) and work in st st shaping side and front edge as folls:
Shape side and front edge: Dec 1 st at front edge on next 26 rows and then every foll at row and AT THE SAME TIME shape side edge by inc 1 st at side edge on 3rd row and 10 foll rows as on back at 55 sts. Keeping front edge dec correct every alt row and keeping side edge straight, work 7 rows in st st ending with a WS row ( 50 sts worked) (51 sts) !!!
Alright, let’s divide this into two parts – the important part though is that these two sets of instructions are going to be happening at the same time, one on the side edge and one on the center front edge.
Shape side and front edge: Dec 1 st at front edge on next 26 rows and then every foll alt row and…
You are going to decrease one stitch at the front edge every row for 26 rows and then every other row (every foll alt row). Since this is the left front piece (left, as worn), the front edge is at the end of your right side rows, or the beginning of your wrong side rows. It is good to place a decrease at least one stitch in from the edge. It makes the edges neater and helps with any seaming or picking up stitches later. So for each of these front edge decreases, for right side rows I would work until you are 3 stitches left, then K2tog, then K1. On the purl rows you will work the decrease at the beginning of the row, again placing it one stitch in from the very edge, so you would P1, P2tog, then continue on the rest of the rows instructions.
AT THE SAME TIME shape side edge by inc 1 st at side edge on 3rd row and 10 foll 4th rows as on back at 55 sts. Keeping front edge dec correct every alt row and keeping side edge straight, work 7 rows in st st ending with a WS row ( 50 sts worked) (51 sts) !!!
This set of instructions for the side edge increases will also begin at the very beginning, right after casting on. You will start your increases on the 3rd row and then the 10 following 4th rows, increasing one stitch at the side edge - this will be the beginning of right side rows. So you will increase one stitch at the beginning of row 3, and then 10 4th rows, that’s a total of 11 increases which will land on rows 3, 7, 11, 15, 19, 23, 27, 31, 35, 39, 43. You can use a kfb or increase for these, which won’t be totally invisible but is a good all purpose increase. Or, you can do a M1L (left leaning) increase which you will find a video for in the basic techniques tab. Again, place the increases one stitch in from the edge.
Once you have finished those side edge increases, you will still be doing the front edge decreases every alternate row (from the first set of instructions we talked about) and without doing any more side edge increases you will work 7 rows in stockinette stitch, the last row worked will be a wrong side row, and you should have worked 50 rows and have 51 stitches left.
I am having a little trouble visualizing what happens when first you increase on one row and then decrease on another…doesn’t it kind of cancel each other out? Also, I notice from reading ahead in the pattern that to do the right front, I have to reverse all the shaping. Is there a way to chart that out that makes sense? I can’t just read the directions and reverse them in my head. I have enough trouble just reading the translation! Is this just a matter of practice ( I hope!) Thanks!!! Sally
Well, yeah I guess you could say it cancels each other out in that you will still have the same # of stitches after the first time you increase and decrease on the same row, but the front edge decreases are being done at a different rate than the side edge increases so you will not end up with the same # of stitches in the end. The side edge gradually increases from the waist where you start, up to the armhole shaping, and the front edge continues to decrease because of the style of sweater it is - a wrap style cardigan.
As for reversing shaping, for the right front the side edge increases will be done at the ends of right side rows and the front edge decreases will be done at the beginnings of right side rows and the ends of wrong side rows. Everything is the same except for which side the decreases and increases are done on.
It is possible to chart these out if you’re having trouble visualizing it just from the pattern. Print off some knitter’s graph paper from here and start charting. Let us know if you run into more problems.
Thanks, KnitQueen. You truly are the Queen! I will tackle this part and see if I can make sense of it as I go along. Sally
Just tackle the left front for now, and worry about the right front when you get there – it’s good to read ahead, but it’s also good to just take one step at a time.
Good luck!!
xxx