Joining 2nd ball of yarn?

I’m a new knitter and I’m working on a cardigan. I’m up to the point where I’m shaping the neck. Going by the instructions, I knit 19 stitches, bound off the center 22 stitches and knit the last 19 sts. However, I didn’t start a new ball of yarn before binding off the center 19 sts. (as the inst. said) I really didn’t understand that part and thought they assumed I was running out of yarn! haha. Anyway, I’m wondering if I should just start a new ball on the other side right now. I’m supposed to work both sides at once. Do you do one row on one side and then do the other side? Or should I rip out that whole row and start over? I’m not sure if I bound off too tightly too. Any suggestions would be welcome!

Thanks!

I would undo the row and redo properly, binding off with the new ball of yarn. Then you work both sides … 1 row of first side, then 1 row of second side, turn and repeat. If you think you are binding off too tightly, you can use a size larger needle in your right hand when binding off. This has been said to help bind off loosely.

Hope that helps. Good luck.

I just had a discussion with my mum about it.
Well, as you discovered there was a reason why the instructions said to join another ball!
You have three possibilities:
a) You knit one part and do the second one later.
b) Knit on and just join now the second ball of yarn.
c) You unravel(unknit) the last row and join the ball of yarn as the instruction said.

Well, I favour the third possibility and working both sides at once. The reason for this is, that as you are a beginner knitter your tension might not always be the same. When your working both rows at once atleast your tension is on every row the same. And yes, when working both sides at once you knit one row on one side and then do the other side.
And it’s easier to join at this point too.

As a side note: my mum chose a. But I haven’t seen the piece yet and I doubt that it looks too good…

Thanks to both of you for your help! I really appreciate it. Since I’ve never done it before, it helps a lot to get advice from experienced knitters. This cardigan has been a labor of love, but I have to start somewhere I guess. I’m rip it out and follow the instructions this time!

I’m glad you posted this Dendiane coz I’m working on a sweater and just read that very thing this morning… bind off with a new ball of yarn. And it really confused me, like why add a new ball of yarn to bind off?

I just know this is probably one of the simpliest things once you’ve done it, and what’s weird is I made some sweaters many years ago and did it! but have forgotten the neck part. I wish there was a picture of this to look at, working both sides at once.

-------------_______--------------

I guess it looks like that on the needle? you’re still working across the same stitches except for those bound off in the middle.

Soooo beginnerish! I will perservere! Let us know how it comes out…