How to join a kangaroo pocket onto the sweater body

#1

Hi, there. I’m working on a kids’ sweater using this pattern: http://www.cascadeyarns.com/patternsFree/B179_GreenlandHoodie.pdf

Everything went well until now, time to join the kangaroo pocket onto the body of the sweater:

Join Pocket to Body: On next row, (right side facing) work 5 sts beyond first pocket marker (11, 13,15 sts) on body. Holding both needles together knit the first pocket st AND the next body sts together.
Repeat across joining pocket sts to body and complete row.

Now I’m lost! What do I do? What does “work 5 sts beyond the first pocket marker” mean?

#2

Earlier in the pattern, you marked the sides of the sweater and then put in another marker at 6,8, or 10 knit sts depending on the size you are making. Now the instructions are to knit to the marker and then knit 5 more sts (“Work 5 sts beyond the first pocket marker”). In other words, knit 11,13,or 15sts from the side marker. This is where you start to join the pocket sts that you’ve worked on until they were the same length as the main body of the sweater. To do that, hold the pocket sts on a needle in front of the main body sts, both needles in the left hand and knit two sts together, one from the pocket, one from the main body.
It’s a very sweet, cozy sweater. Enjoy knitting it!

#3

Thank you so much. It worked! Now I knitted up to the Neck Shaping part. The pattern said to “add a second ball and bind off 10 sts., and complete row.” Do I [U]cut the yarn from the ball I’m working with[/U], add the second ball, bind off 10 stitches? Or, do I bind of 10 sts. first, then cut the yarn, then add the second ball? Or, do I NOT cut the yarn at all? Please help!

#4

Your last suggestion is the best. You need a new end of yarn and that can come from another ball of yarn or it can be the other end of the ball that you are using now. The pattern is going to have you complete both sides of the neck shaping at the same time with two separate ends of yarn (so don’t cut anything yet).
Knit across to the sts to be bound off, drop the strand of yarn you are working with, start knitting sts for the bind off with a new end of yarn, bind off 10sts total, and continue to knit across the other side of the neck. Purl back with this second strand up to the bound off sts, drop the yarn, pick up the strand conneted to the other shoulder and purl across that shoulder. Doing it this way ensures that the shoulder shaping is the same on both sides.
Glad it’s working out for you!