Pattern help, please?

#1

Hello,

I’m knitting this teddy bear pattern: http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/patterns/toys/anyyarnteddybear.htm

I’m a beginner knitter, and it looks simple enough…I hope.

But there are a few steps I’m not sure I understand.

When the pattern says to, "Next row: Knit 20, turn
Knit a further 39 rows on these 20 sts. Cast off. "

Do I actually physically turn my work around in my hand and start knitting the other way again?

Then it says, "With right side facing, rejoin yarn to the other 20sts and knit 40 rows. Cast off "

I still have a problem telling the right side from the wrong side of my work. How can I be SURE I have the right side facing?

And how do I “rejoin yarn…”?

Will it all make more sense once I get to that part of the pattern?

Thanks so much in advance!

#2

You are right on the first issue. Just turn the work like you would at the end of the row and work in the other direction. You just work back and forth for 40 rows (39 plus the 1 before you turned) over those 20 stitches. Then bind off those 20.

About the right side, it will not really matter very much since both sides look the same. Usually the side that faces you when you have worked the first row, and before you turn it the first time is designated the right side. You could mark that row with a safety pin or some other way to keep track of it. It won’t matter on this pattern unless it affects something to do with where you place the shapings. Both sides will look the same actually. Sometimes you like the look of one side better than the other, especially down at the very beginning. If you find you like one sides looks better than the other, mark that side as RS and just be consistant after that, I think that will work.

To rejoin the yarn you just start working with it. You don’t have to tie it or anything, just leave a tail end and start knitting.

He looks like a pretty simple little bear. A good choice for an early project. Have fun.

Edited to add: I looked again and it won’t matter which side is the right side. Just pick the one you like best if you can detect any difference.

#3

Thanks so much for the help!

Just to be sure about the right side of my work once I get into the more fancy stuff…

For example, I would cast on, work my first row (knit or purl or rib or whatever), and THAT row would be the right side, yes? Not the cast on row, right?

And thank you for the safety pin tip! I think that will help me so much in the future!

#4

Yes the first row you work, not the cast on row is usually the right side, but some patterns will tell you which side is the RS or WS (wrong side), if they do you can mark the row they designate as RS.

#5

generally the right side is considered to by the ‘public’ side of your work, so often in stockinette is the side with the knits (the 'v’s) but doesn’t matter so much when you have somthing that loosk the same on both sides.

#6

Thanks again so much, both of you! :slight_smile:

I’d been avoiding patterns that mention RS and WS but now that I know that trick, I think I might just tackle one soon!