Need helping decipering my first sweater pattern!

#1

I’m attempting my first sweater project and got to a part in the pattern that I just don’t understand and every how-to video is confusing me. I’m working on the back piece and the pattern says: BO 3 sts at beg of next 4 rows, then 5 sts at beg of next two rows. BO rem 17 stitches loosely. Does this mean that I bind off 3 sts at the beginning of one row, knit the rest in that row, then bind of 5 stitches for the beginning of the next two rows? The videos I keep watching show the knitter wrapping, then turning the work around. The pattern doesn’t mention that. Any help???

Thanks!

#2

The video you’re describing involves short-row shaping, which you’re not doing.

You can’t bind off at the end of the row, so you always do it at the beginning, even though it works out that you’re not binding off on the same row. Doesn’t matter.

Bind off 3 stitches and finish the row; do this 4 times. You will have bound off twice on each edge for a total of 6 stitches off each edge.

Then bind off 5 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows. Finish the second row and then bind off the remaining 17 stitches.

#3

Does this mean that I bind off 3 sts at the beginning of one row, knit the rest in that row, then bind of 5 stitches for the beginning of the next two rows?

No, that’s not what you do, and you don’t do it like the videos, that’s for another technique.

BO 3 sts, knit the rest of the row, turn and BO 3 sts at the beg of the next row and do the rest of the sts. Do that again - BO 3, knit the row, BO 3, work the row. Then BO 5 sts, finish the row, turn and BO 5 sts and finish. Then turn and BO all the rest of the sts and you’re done.