Instructions for repeat

I am currently knitting the neckline for a sweater and the pattern states as follows:

*knit 1, purl 1 *. Repeat from * to * 35 times

So, my questions is do I ‘knit 1, purl 1’ and then repeat a further 35 times - so 72 stitches in total? Or. do I work 70 stitches in total in knit 1 purl 1?

Many thanks x

That way of wording is never clear. Is there something you need to do after the 1x1 rib? If not I’d just do the row/round in rib.

Usually “repeat” means do it all again this many times, so, yes, a total of 36 times making 72 stitches. As GrumpyGramma says though, looking ahead to see what comes next would also help clarify the instructions.

Thank you so much for your kind help. The pattern is as per the link below and I am knitting row 1 of the neck (I am making the third size) as shown in the attachment. As the pattern cites to continue to the end of the row, it does not clarify how many stitches this is for me to be able to, therefore, calculate how many *knit 1, purl 1’ I should be doing…

https://www.weareknitters.co.uk/knitting-kit/vaht-sweater

20221022_155238|899x1200

I opened your attachment and copied it here to make it easier to see and because some people don’t like opening attachments. I hope you don’t mind. I see there is more after the rib. I’ll take a closer look in awhile.

That is very kind of you - thank you so very much. Thank you! CDD is center double decrease, in case you were unaware.

The first line instruction the knitter to count 18 stitches from the other end of the back is counting towards the centre of the back, from the outer edge, to pick up the first stitch for the neck. The 18 missed stitches will form the shoulder xx

I am ever more confused with this now. So, I started row 1 of the neckline from the sweater’s right hand shoulder (left side as you look at the photo), which is marked with a blue cross on one of the attached photographs. If I knit 72 stitches in knit 1, purl 1 rib and then make a center double decrease, this will be on the left side of the sweater, which I have marked with a blue wiggly line. The pattern then cites to work the next 18 stitches in knit 1, purl 1 rib and then make another center double decrease, this will now be sitting on the sweater’s left hand shoulder (marked with a blue circle). Looking at the sweater on the We Are Knitters website, there should be a center double decrease on both the left and right side, mirroring each other’s position. I hope this makes sense but the pattern doesn’t! xx

I love it! the cat is either just as puzzled or understands how to work this and can’t figure out why we can’t.
You’re correct that the CDDs need to be either side of the front between the left sleeve (as you would wear the sweater) and the front, and between the front and the right sleeve.
In the photo you posted, the CDDs should be at the yellow arrows (see below). I may not have the exact placement correct but you can determine this from any neckline decreases.
The problem may be that you are knitting on the inside of the neckband, from left to right. Usually you would be knitting on the outside of the neckband (see red arrow indicating direction of knitting).


You can change this by reversing to knit on the outside by working a short row turn. Use something like a German short row turn or your favorite method of working short rows to avoid a small hole. The reason to do this is because knitting on the inside will complicate the CDD.

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I love these pictures. I see the cat really wanting permission to play with all this yarn.

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So, the saga continues. I asked the company who wrote the pattern the following:

‘Can you find out if, when picking up stitches, we should be picking them up from the inside, thus travelling anti-clockwise around the garment? I had the sweater around the right away (i.e. not inside out) and picked the stitches up travelling clockwise hence the first row worked meant I was working the wrong side of the work’

and received this in response:

'Hi Jacqui, this is the knitting team. We have been forwarded with your question. We’re sorry you have been having trouble with the pattern.
As Vincent has said, the right side and wrong side are not specified in intermediate patterns since the common thing is odd rows>>right side and even rows>>wrong side.
We have noticed that you might have skipped a step in the first row of the neck, as the pattern says to purl 1 after the first CDD, and then repeat the *knit 1, purl 1 * 18 times.

Row 1: knit 1, purl 1. Repeat from * to * 33 [35, 35, 35] times.
CDD,
purl 1,
and repeat from * to * 17 [18, 18, 18] times.
CDD,
purl 1.
Repeat from to * until there is 1 stitch left,
knit 1.
You will have a total of 133 [137, 137, 137] stitches.

Please make sure to count the stitches that you have to start with, as they should be 141. This pattern has been knitted before and it has never give us any trouble.’

So, I assume I have to pick the stitches up with the wrong side of the work facing. This has put a ridge along the front of the work, which is every noticeable but seems to be the only way to pick up the stitches so that my first worked row is on the right side. Is this normal? thank you x

You were correct the first time: pick up sts with the outside or public side facing you and work clockwise. That’s the conventional way to pick up sts for necks and fronts, etc. Since you’re working in the round, all the rounds will be from the right or public outside of the sweater.

Thank you for your continued help and patience! I am sorry to keep revisiting this but I am so eager to finish my sweater and am very close to it now. The neckline is to be worked in rows, not rounds, with the neck edge to be seemed. So, if I have the outside of the sweater facing me when I pick up the stitches - and pick them up clockwise around the garment, the first row I will work will be on the wrong side yet the pattern writers are adamant it will be the right side. I cannot figure out how this can be… I have added two attachments showing the instructions for the neckline. Please help xx

Don’t think twice about coming back for questions or clarifications.
I was looking at the last photo you posted and it looked like you were knitting in the round. You can certainly work this back and forth then seam the neckband.
I don’t know that the tech help is really putting themselves into the situation and not just going with the written instructions. You’re clearly up to a wrong side row so what you can do is work the wrong side row as k1p1 rib.
One thing to remember. You should mark the placement of the CDD. The second stitch of the 3 needed for a CDD should ideally be a knit stitch as seen from the outside or public side of the sweater. It’s the stitch that will end up on top of the line of the decrease. You want that to be a knit stitch for a pretty line as shown in the sweater photo. (You can try this out on a small k1p1 swatch just to see what it looks like on the needles.)

Hello
I think the thing here is how the pattern is worded is just plain confusing and it’s not you doing it wrong at all.
“With these stitches work 8 rows in 1x1 stitch keeping in mind the following decreases.”
Despite the next instruction being call row 1, it means first right side row. The (rather unhelpful) response from the company confirms that odd numbers are right side rows so both the pick up row and the “row 1” row are right side rows. It is up to the knitter to figure out that a wrong side row comes between these 2 rows and is part of the “work 8 rows” instruction.

It might have said
With right side facing pick up and knit x number of stitches.
Next row work 1 x 1 rib
Next work a further 7 rows keeping the following decreases in mind:
Row 1 […]

Honestly, what would we all do without this forum?
Ask as much as you want, I always do. I love this place.
Don’t feel bad about asking questions, without questions this forum would lack the lovely sense of community, one of the reasons it is so nice to be here is because it is active (as well as helpful and welcoming).

Thank you so much! You are such an angel. I have received the following reply from We Are Knitters. How does seaming the other shoulder make any difference? xx

I have raised again your case to our Knitting team for them do do a complete re-check of this pattern.
One of our knitters is in charge to review and fix everything early next week, but she didn’t want to let you with no answer meanwhile. Please find hereafter her message:
Hello Jackie, you are correct, the way the pattern is written makes you start the neck on the wrong side. We apologize for this mistake and suggest you that, as a way of fixing it, you seam the other shoulder and pick up the stitches with circular needles and knit it on the round. This way, the right side of the work will always be facing you and the CDDs will appear the way they should. Thank you for your attention.

Of course, once the pattern is fully corrected, we will send you the latest version. :pray:

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Good for them for supporting the pattern in a timely fashion. So you have a choice to knit back and forth on the neckband and seam or to knit it in the round. Can’t wait to see the finished sweater if you’d like to post.

But I still do not understand how seaming the other shoulder will help. If I did so, and picked up the stitches to knit in rows, I will still be working on the wrong side. I have no idea how to knit rib etc. in the round…x

Thank you Creations for your very helpful response. I am concerned that if I work a row of rib with no CDD increase that the neckline will not sit flat and may pucker. What do you think? Thank you for the reassurance that I am not doing it wrong as the company has not been very supportive and told me they have never had a problem with this pattern before. Well, that’s great but you have one now! They seemed to think I am making the mistake. I have now been told to seam the other shoulder and then pick up the stitches. I will still be working the first row on the wrong side. They also cannot spell my name correctly. Sloppy. Sloppy. Sloppy xx