How to ...

Hi,

I’m new to knitting and have mainly knitted scarfs. I may have taken on a project beyond my skill level. I’m working on my first sweater: https://knitrowan.com/en/products/elisabeth

I’ve competed the pattern for the BACK and am now at the SHAPE SHOULDERS AND BACK section. This is where I’m struggling.

The pattern asks me to:

Cast off 4 [4:5:6:6] sts at beg of next 4 [4:2:2:2] rows.64 [70:85:91:99] sts.
Next row (RS): Cast off 4 [5: 5: 6: 6] sts, K until there are 18 [20: 29: 31: 34] sts on right needle and turn, leaving rem sts on a holder. Work each side of neck separately.

Dec 1 st at neck edge of next 5 [5:7:7:7] rows and at same time cast off 4 [5:5:6:6] sts at beg of 2nd row,then 4 [5:5:6:7] sts at beg of foll 1 [1:1: 2:2] alt rows,then – [-:6:-:-] sts at beg of foll – [-:1:-:-] alt row.
Cast off rem 5 [5:6:6:7] sts.

I think I have followed instructions above correctly. The math certainly works. The pattern now tells me to:

With RS facing, slip centre 20 [20: 17: 17: 19] sts onto a holder (for neckband), rejoin yarn and K to end.
Complete to match first side, reversing shapings.

What am I suppose to do?

THANKS SO MUCH
S

Welcome to KnittingHelp!
Good for you for going beyond what you’re comfortable with. It’s a lovely sweater with neat lines.

You’re going to be shaping the second shoulder to match the first. You can cut the yarn attached to the first shoulder leaving about a 6 inch tail to weave in later.

For the smallest size for example, slip the center 20sts to a holder and join a new end of yarn. You can hold about a 6 inch tail of the yarn along side the left needle and knit to the end of the 22sts. (Don’t worry that the first few sts are a bit loose. You can snug them up later.) Turn and cast off 4sts (armhole edge) and work to the end of the row (neck edge).

Call the next row, row 1. Decrease 1 stitch at the neck edge on rows 1,2,3,4 and 5. At the same time cast off 4sts at the armhole edge on rows 2 and 4. Finally on row 6, cast off remaining 5sts.

Salmonmac, thank you so much for the response (and the promptness)!

I can’t wait to get home and follow your instructions.

Thank you so much again. I truly appreciate it

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Hi Salmonmac!

Thanks to your help, I was able to complete the back of the pattern and am now close to completing the front.

To shape the front shoulders and necks, the pattern tells me to do the following:

*Next row (RS): Cast off 4 [4: 0: 0: 0] sts, K until there are 28 [31: 40: 44: 47] sts on right needle & turn, leaving rem sts on a holder. Work each side of the neck separately. *

Decrease 1 stitch at neck edge of next 6 [6:6:6:4] rows, then on follow 1 [1:2:2:4] alt rows and at same time cast off 4 [4: 5: 6: 6] sts at beg of 2nd [2nd: 2nd: 2nd: 4th] row, then 4 [5:5:6:6] sts at beg of foll 3 [3:3:4:2] alt rows, then - [-:6:-:7] sts at beg of foll – [-:1:-:2] alt rows.

Work 1 row. Cast off rem 5 [5:6:6:7] sts

I think I’ve done it correctly but I’m still struggling with the concept of reverse shaping which is the next step:

With RS facing, slip centre 16 [16: 15: 15: 17] sts onto a holder (for neckband), rejoin yarn and K to end. Complete to match first side, reversing shapings.

Can you help again, please.

These are always confusing directions but it saves space so pattern editors seem to love them.

Rejoin a yarn end leaving about a 6 inch tail to weave in later. Knit to the end of the row (the armhole edge). For the smallest size, call the next row, row 1. Decrease at the neck edge on rows 1,2,3,4,5,6 and 8. At the same time, cast off 4sts at the beginning of rows 2,4,6 and 8 (the armhole edge) and then cast off the remaining 5sts at the beginning of row 10. Skip over the directions with a dash for your size.
I find that making a diagram of the decreases and bind offs helps keep me on track (and sane) for these kind of directions. I number the rows and check them off as I go.

Sorry salmonmac. I’m not sure I’m clear.

By the time I get to shaping Shoulders and back, there are 80 stitches. I cast off 4 and then work 28 stitches (48 are put aside). When I complete the first 28 sts side, I move to the other shoulder. I’m asked to put 16 sts on a holder (for the neck) and then work the remaining 32 stitches.

If I follow the reverse shaping directions you provided (thanks so much, by the way), I’m left with 8 stitches at the end to cast off (not 5 as you wrote and as matches the other side)

I must be missing something but, despite going through it a few times, I can’t figure out what

Thanks for the patience

My fault entirely. There is another cast off of 4sts at row 10. The first cast off mirrors the initial cast off of 4sts at the very beginning of the instructions for “Shape shoulders and front neck.” That takes the stitch count on this second shoulder from 32sts to 28sts which matches the first shoulder.
Then there should be 4 more cast offs of 4sts. In total that makes cast offs of 4sts on rows 2,4,6,8 and 10, and then a final cast off of 5sts on row 12.
I’m not sure why you have 3 extra sts (8sts instead of 9) but you could cast off 3sts on row 10 instead of 4 and then cast off 4 on row 12.
I’m sorry for missing that first cast off and for the confusion.

No need to apologize! You’ve been so generous with your time and knowledge. I appreciate it so much

I’m not sure how I have 8 versus 9 stitches but clearly I goofed somewhere. I’ll make the correction as you suggested.

THANKS so much!

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