Need pattern help with neck joining for a poncho

#1

Ok, people, the pattern says this:

  1. To shape shoulders and neck (RS): Bind off 7 sts at beg of next 4 rows - 21 sts remaining for neck - and place neck sts on holder.
  2. For neck and RS facing, using double strand and circular needles, pick up and knit 42 sts from neck holders, dec 2 evenly around - 40 sts rem.
  3. Work in 2x2 rib for 5".
  4. Bind off loosely in rib.

I’ve just about finished both front and back pieces and am ready to make the neck. Two questions:

  1. When it says pick up and knit from neck holders, is my working yarn the strands from the front and back ( the pattern says not to bind off 21 stitches for the neck and these are therefore live stitches, right?), or do I start working the neck with new yarn? If so, what do I do with the yarn left unbound from the front and back parts?

  2. When working the neck, it says to use circular needles. Does this mean I join the neck once I’ve picked up stitches or do I work the ribbing flat then seam it when done?

Thanks so much for any help. Ingrid says to trust the pattern but it’s hard when the pattern is vague and confusing…

#2

Unless your yarn strands are in the right place to start the neck, cut the ones that are attached to the poncho pieces and start fresh when you work the neck. You can weave in the ends of the cut yarns.

If they specify circs for the neck, and you have the right size to fit around the neck–do it in the round. If you don’t have the correct size, then you can do it flat.

The problem is that on circs, you are always working on the right side, so if the directions are for circs and you want to knit flat, you’ll have to reverse the directions for the WS rows.

#3

Thanks again, Ingrid. You are my knitting Yoda! I do have the required size circs so I think I shall try knitting in the round. Your comment on RS and WS - does it matter if I’m working a rib? As long as I knit the knits and purl the purls, does it matter if it’s RS or WS?

#4

You’re right. As long as you knit the knits, etc., it doesn’t matter. :thumbsup: