First time knitting a jumper from the top down, and failing at the very first row
It’s this sweater on Ravelry:
I’ve checked out other project notes, but honestly can’t visualise where I’m even starting.
So, the pattern starts at the back (neck?) with an (unspecified) cast-on of 104 stitches, and I used a knitted cast-on (not a long-tail), so the stitches were all on my left needle, which was facing me on the right side at the end of the cast-on row. The next instruction is to slip 38 st from the left to the right, so looking at my needles I have 38 on the right and 64 on the left.
The first row is the WS, being purled, with a new colour.
WS “join new yarn, p28 sts, turn”, so which bit am I meant to actually be working on? The 38 st or the 64, and is the first cast-on row the RS, as I’d expect?? I have knitted it up, with some test yarn, but cannot figure it out.
Any help much appreciated.
The last two photos in this project are helpful in showing an overall view of where you are and what happens next.
Sounds like you purl across 28 of the 66sts on the left needle then turn to begin some short rows. The purl sts are the WS row and after the turn you should be on a RS row.
From the description on Ravelry:
“Stitches are first casted on for the back piece, which is worked back and forth with short rows to shape the upper back. Then stitches are picked up along the shoulder edge and the shoulders are worked back and forth individually.”
So, you’re starting at the side of the back neck and worked across the back neck to the other side, then it looks like you’ll be working short rows to build up the shoulders. You should have 66 stitches on your left needle. Once you’ve purled 28 stitches you’ll have 38 stitches left on your left needle (one shoulder); on the right you’ll have 28 that have been worked for the neckline, and 38 that have not been worked (other shoulder). Some of these may get picked up as you work the back neck.
I did a couple of test runs before posting the question, and the shape was just looking wrong. I think my problem was that my left/right needles were switched due to the way I cast on, so my first row (purl) was on one shoulder, when it should have been the middle. This looks so much better, and I got as far as the lace this time, which is more promising.
I was thinking of giving up on it altogether!
The projects in the ravelry link have some good tips about avoiding cutting the yarn so often, and I plan on testing that before I commit to starting it as a project. Sewing/weaving in loose ends is not my favourite task.
Good for you for testing this out until you understand just how it goes. It’s a clever method for working the back including short rows then picking up sts for the front shoulders.
Come back if you’re still not sure or have further questions.
The cast on shouldn’t matter, unless you prefer the look of one side over the other. After you’ve slipped the 38 stitches onto the right needle, just start purling on the left needle, the one with 68 stitches. That will put the stitches into the middle of the cast on, for the back neck.
