Help with pattern, neck shaping on fisherman’s rib sweater

Update: I figured it out! If anyone is interesting in the details of how I managed, feel free to comment and I’ll reply!

I boldly decided to use a vintage fisherman’s rib sweater pattern for my second sweater ever.

I’ve knitting both panels of the body, but am getting stuck when dividing for neck on the front and would LOVE your help so I can finish this thing over the holidays.

Basic info:

The sweater is knitted flat. I’ve done the back and am working on the front.

Pattern through the body is:

Row 1: K

Row 2: K, p, k 1b until last 2 sts, p, k

Then it goes into raglan shaping as so:

Row 3: K3, K3 tog, K until last 6 sts, s1k, K2 tog, psso, K3

Row 4, 6, 8, 10: (same as row 2)

Row 5, 7, 9: K

Repeat Rows 3-10 8x

All good up until this next point. (My questions are in parentheses)

Pattern says:

“Next row as 3rd. Work 5 rows”

(At first I worked Row 3 x5, but realized it wasn’t right, so went back and worked Row 3-8. Was I wrong?)

“Divide for neck as follows: Next row-K19, turn and leave remaining sts on a spare needle.”

(Fine with this. It also validated my choice of working rows 3-8 prior, as that means a K row here fits with pattern)

“Continue on these sts for first side dec 1 st at neck edge on next and following 6 alt rows, at the same time dec 2 sts as before at raglan edge on every following 8th row from previous dec until 8 sts remain.”

HELP!!! I sat and attempted to write out all the possible things this might mean, row by row in different forms. I unraveled and redid it like 3 times in different ways. It just doesn’t add up.

It also seems that I should only be decreasing sts on K rows, because it gets wonky when I do it on k1b/p rows. But that’s what I ended up doing because I couldn’t find a solution where the decrease 1 and decrease 2 rows land on K rows only.

At least not in a way where I will end up with 8 sts. For instance, I tried to figure out a version where I’d only be dec on K rows, but that would leave me with 7 sts.

So, before going into this, I just did a K row. I have 19 sts, and need to get down to 8, which means I decrease by 11 sts total.

It seems to be like all decreases should land on K rows, as it instructs me to decrease “as before.” All decreases have been on K rows with either K3tog or sl1k-K2tog-psso.

I need help understanding this, row by row.

This is what I wrote up and followed. Note that I used ‘F’ as an abbreviation for k1b/p rows. And the sts count is the number in parentheses at the end of each line:

  • F dec 1 (18)

  • K

  • F dec 1 (17)

  • K

  • F dec 1 (16)

  • K

  • F dec 1, dec 2 (13)

  • K

  • F dec 1 (12)

  • K

  • F dec 1 (11)

  • K

  • F dec 1 (10)

  • K dec 2 (8)

I think this is wrong, even though it turned out looking okay.

But I’d love if anyone could correct me in the same format.

The next part threw off my back success, though. It reads:

“Next row -Dec 2 sts as before at raglan edge only on next and following 4th row (4 sts).”

Is it telling me to knit 4 rows or 2 rows? Am I still working this pattern in the Row 3-10 framework? I’m so confused!

Any clarity would help so much. I’ve been working so long and hard on this. my local knitting store is closed for the next week, so I can’t go in for live help right now.

Thank you so much to anyone who can offer expertise!

Photos for reference. I am knitting size 4

This is my latest schematic for what I think it might mean. Would love to hear if this seems right:

(Again, I’m using ‘F’ to stand for the k1b/P rows)

  • F
  • K dec 1 neck, dec 2 raglan (16)
  • F
  • K dec 1 neck (15)
  • F
  • K dec 1 neck (14)
  • F
  • K dec 1 neck (13)
  • F
  • K dec 1 neck, dec 2 raglan (10)
  • F
  • K dec 1 neck (9)
  • F
  • K dec 1 neck (8)

And then for the next step:

  • F
  • K dec 2 raglan (6)
  • F
  • K dec 2 raglan (4)

Welcome to the forum!
That’s quite a sweater to take on as your second project but why not?

You’re correct that the pattern wants you to work rows 3-8 rather than repeating row 3 x5.
That makes row 9 the dividing row with 19sts.

At the neck edge you could just as easily work the pattern rib on row 10 and put the neck decreases on rows 11,13,15,17,19,21 and 23. (I’ve given these as consecutive rows but you could convert them to pattern rows 3,5,7,9,3,5and 7.) That’s 7sts decreased.
At the raglan edge, dec on rows 11 and 19. You’ll only have one raglan edge so that’s 2sts/decrease row. That’s 4sts decreased leaving you with 8sts.

Your knitting looks lovely and this is going to be a beautiful sweater. I do have one question:
How does your pattern define k1b?

Thank you for your response!!

I actually ended up putting the neck decreases on the ‘F’ rows, and raglan decreases on the K rows.

I found someone on YouTube who says they prefer doing dec on F rows in half fisherman’s rib, as it looks better. They showed a good technique.

It worked out well, actually! It kept a nice continuity to the pattern.

Also thank you for the compliments! That’s so sweet. I’m definitely looking forward to blocking it, as my tension has been all over the place accommodating the natural variation of this yarn. Honestly the color is incredible, so I think it’s hard to come out with anything too ugly with it!

To answer your question — the pattern just says “k1b” and that’s it. Are there several ways to do k1b?

Your sweater looks lovely as is with the way you are working k1b. It looks like knit one in the back loop perhaps

For future reference, Fisherman’s rib typically works the k1b as knit one below which gives a different look.

That said, just file this away for another time. We’re looking forward to seeing your finished sweater. Please do post a photo!