I am hoping someone out there can explain some instructions that have me confused. I have been knitting this pattern for my son in Large. I completed the back and am at the point in the instructions of
divide for neck below. Total stitches are currently 99 and below just doesn’t seem to make sense to me.
If anyone can simplify for someone just coming back to knitting after too many years I would so appreciate it.
This is supposed to be an Easy but I just finished an intermediate all in the round for younger son and that one was so explicit. Any and all help is greatly appreciated.
I will move to the sleeves until I can get some help. Thank you in advance.
Divide for Neck: Keeping continuity of pat, work across
first 33 (36, 39, 42, 45) sts, turn and put rem sts on a
holder. Dec 1 st at neck edge every row until 30 (33, 36,
39, 42) sts rem, then every right side row until 27 (30, 33,
36, 39) sts rem. Work even in pat until Front measures 24
1/2 (25 1/2, 26 1/2, 27 1/2, 28 1/2)" from beg, end P row.
K 4 rows.
Fairly noob myself, but I think I can help. I’m not sure what part you are struggling with, but I’ll assume it’s the “Divide for Neck: Keeping continuity of pat, work across first 33 (36, 39, 42, 45) sts, turn and put rem sts on a holder” part.
Basically, you are going to work the left side of the next first and put the right side on hold. The neck hole, which looks like a semi-circle cutout will divide them. To do this, you knit the first 33 stitches, but then stop there (later you will join a second ball, most likely, but that will be when you start the right side).
You stop after the first 33 and put the “remaining sts on a holder”. If you are knitting on two long needles, you can just leave them on the needle and use a third needle of the same size to finish the left. If you are knitting with circular, then you might need to swap the stitches over to another needle.
The rest of the instructions just explain the shaping of the left side of the neck. After this, you will probably join the second ball and bind off 33 stitches in the middle. Honestly, this isn’t the easiest way to do this. Joining second ball now and working both sides together, as separate pieces, is easier to me, but maybe there is a reason they don’t want you to do that now.
You’re dividing for the neck so basically you’re only working one side at a time to shape for the neck and arm areas (the remaining stitches get put on a holder and you’ll come back to them later). Let’s assume the “divide for neck” row is row 1.
Row 1: Since you’re making a large, you’ll work the first 39 st in your established pattern. Move the remaining stitches from your left needle to a holder.
Row 2: bind off the 1st stitch (neck edge) and then continue working in pattern to the outer edge. You now have 38 stitches on your needle.
Row 3: work across the 38 st.
Row 4: bind off the first st and work the remaining 37 st.
Rows 5 - 6: Repeat rows 3 & 4 one more time. You’re now at the outer edge and have 36 st on your needle.
At this point you’re done with neck shaping and need to do some armhole shaping:
Row 7: bind off the 1st st (outer edge) and work the remaining stitches. You now have 35 st on your needle.
Row 8: turn and work back across all st.
Row 9: bind off 1st st and then work the remaining stitches, leaving you with 34 st.
Row 10: work all 34 stitches
Row 11: bind off 1st st and work the remaining, now have 33 st on your needle.
From here you’ll just keep working the 33 stitches back and forth (no more decreases) until the front is 26-1/2 inches and end on a purl row. (I suggest you keep count of the number of rows worked, row 12 through the final purl row, so that when you go to work the other side, you’ll end up with the same number of total rows.)