Help with short row placement

#1

I’m making a pair of pants for my daughter and am slightly confused as to where to place the short rows (on the back, obviously).

I started the short rows and then experienced a problem when I did the gusset. Here’s what happened –

Since I’d like them centered across the back I thought it made sense to put the markers at 1/4 and 3/4 of the stitches. There are 88 stitches so I put a marker at 22 and 66. This would center them across the entire back. Worked perfectly.

When I did the gusset I put a marker at 1 and 44. AFTER the markers I M1F, k2, MIB. Then in each row increased with th k by 2 (so M1F, k4, MIB; M1F, k6, M1B), etc.

When I match the gusset the short rows shift to the right. Now my short rows wrap around to the right front of my pants!!

New question.

Short row 1: The new pattern I’m using says to K16, wrap, turn, p 16 to marker, knit 32, close gap.

Knit

Short row 2: K 19, wrap, turn, p 19 to marker, turn, K to gap, close gap

Knit

Short row 1 again

Knit

Short row 2 again

My question is this – WHERE DO I START KNITTING FROM? Where do I place my markers? It doesn’t specifically state where to place them and I’m terrified of having short row wrap around after I do the gusset.

I’m so confused!

#2

I haven’t done this, so bear with me. I think, however, that if you place half the gusset stitches before the marker and half after the marker, that they would spread out from center.

So, put your markers at 1 and 44, but do your increases as

M1 k1 sm k1 M1
M1 k2 sm k2 M1
M1 k3 sm k3 M1

I believe that this will keep your short rows where they belong and your gusset will stay put, too.