I’ve made it through most of my first sweater that I’ve ever knit, but now I’m stuck! I’m at the part in the pattern where it says to bind off the middle sts for the neck, break the yarn, etc. I understand how to bind off, but am I supposed to now knit flat from the last bound off stitch to the first bound off stitch? While still doing the raglan decrease and the extra decrease for the neck? When I tried to find the answer online it said I need to work this part in sections? Help! 
1 Like
Welcome to the forum! Congrats on your first sweater which is very well done.
What is the name of your pattern and designer?
The pattern wants you to knit around to the center 14sts, bind them off and continue to the end of round. Now cut the yarn strand leaving about a 6 inch tail to weave in later. Reattach the yarn to the other side of the bind off (the last stitch bound off) and continue knitting back and forth from that last bound off stitch to the first bound off stitch and back again. You’ll work in stockinette (knit one row, purl one row) and work raglan decreases as before as well as the neck decreases every other row.
For the neck decreases, bind off 4sts at the start of a knit row, knit to the end of row, turn and bind off 4sts at the beginning of the purl row then work to end of row. Continue in this manner binding off 2sts at each end then one stitch each end.
You are doing so beautifully with this sweater.
1 Like
A lovely first sweater. Some yummy cables there too, looks good.
You might want to put in a life line before you go ahead with the neck. If anything goes off track or you accidentally get a tight bind off or don’t like the finished size, it makes it much easier to go back without losing all the stitches. I often write down on my pattern which row number the life line is in as a reminder, just in case. The body and sleeves of a sweater are a bit more forgiving in size but a neck that’s too big or too small can be very uncomfortable (I frequently remake necks!). Here’s a video if you are not familiar with life lines.
Thank you so much! That is so so helpful. I’m hoping I can figure out how to still do the cabling when working back and forth instead of in the round. The pattern is The Viking sweater by Lasse Matberg.
Okay, good to know!! I will watch that and try it! Thank you!
1 Like
Handsome sweater, and you’re doing a great job with it!
The reasoning behind what it’s asking you to do is that necklines fit better if the back is 2-3" inches higher than the front. Lay a t-shirt on a table and you’ll see what I mean. So you’ll finish off the front neck and then build up the back by adding more rows. You’ll start decreasing at both sides of the bound-off center stitches, in addition to doing your raglan decreases.
The cabling shouldn’t be a problem on the wrong side (WS). The WS is usually “work the sts as they appear” meaning knit the Vs and purl the bumps. The cable crosses should all happen on right side (RS) rows.
Really great looking pattern with gorgeous cables!
Yep, that makes total sense and I see it now in the pattern - thanks again!
1 Like