Hi, I am back with more questions , this time with shaping the armhole and neck. This is the link to the free pattern: https://web.archive.org/web/20101227213516/http://www.knitrowan.com/editorial-image/pdf/Ginger.pdf.pdf
I’m following the small size and my questions are the indented ones.
Shape armholes
Cast off 4 (5: 5: 6: 6) sts at beg of next 2 rows.
58 (60: 64: 66: 70) sts. - I need to cast off 5 stitches for 2 rows before starting with Row 1 underneath, right?
Row 1 (RS): K2, K2tog, K to last 4 sts, K2tog tbl, K1, pick up loop lying between
needles and place loop on right needle (note: this loop does NOT count as a st), sl
last st knitwise.
Row 2: P tog first st and the loop, P1, P2tog tbl, P to last 4 sts, P2tog, P1, pick up
loop lying between needles and place loop on right needle (note: this loop does
NOT count as a st), sl last st purlwise.
Row 3: K tog tbl first st and the loop, K1, K2tog, K to last 4 sts, K2tog tbl, K1, pick
up loop lying between needles and place loop on right needle, sl last st knitwise.
Row 4: As row 2. 50 (52: 56: 58: 62) sts.
Last 2 rows form slip st edging and set armhole decreases.
Keeping sts correct as set, dec 1 st at each end of next and foll 2 (2: 3: 3: 4) alt rows.
44 (46: 48: 50: 52) sts. - What set is this? The R1-R4 above? Also what does “next and following 2 alt rows” mean? So if I’m already on R52, on R53 I start the decrease, and then dec again on R55? I’m confused with the “2 alt rows”.
Cont straight until armhole measures 18 (18: 19: 19: 20) cm, ending with a
WS row.
Shape neck
Next row (RS): Patt 9 (9: 10: 10: 11) sts, pick up loop lying between needles and
place loop on right needle (note: this loop does NOT count as a st), sl next st
knitwise and turn, leaving rem sts on a holder. - Which pattern?
Now working slip st edging and decreases at neck edge in same way as for armholes,
cont as folls:
Dec 1 st at neck edge of next 4 rows. 6 (6: 7: 7: 8) sts. - Neck edge means at the end of the row just like the armhole decs?
Work 1 row.
Shape shoulder
Cast off rem 6 (6: 7: 7: 8) sts.
With RS facing, rejoin yarn to rem sts, cast off centre 24 (26: 26: 28: 28) sts, K to
last st, pick up loop lying between needles and place loop on right needle, sl last st
knitwise.
Complete to match first side, reversing shapings. - Huh?
Sorry for the lengthy post and the multitude of questions. This Rowan pattern is definitely not for beginners.