I am knitting a baby sweater with the back and the fronts worked in one piece.
On the needle I have 24 stitches in pattern. 6 cast off stitches. 48 stitches in pattern. 6 cast off stitches. 23 stitches in pattern for a total of 97 stitches.
Each sleeve has 37 stitches for a total of 74 stitches.
When I finish joining the fronts, sleeves and back I am to have 167 stitches.
Here are the instructions: P23 with ws of left sleeve facing, P tog last st from left front and 1st st from sleeve (raglan seam), P across sleeve to last st, P tog last st from sleeve and first st from back, purl across back to last st, with ws of right facing, P tog last st from back and 1st st from sleeve, purl across sleeve to last st, P tog last st from sleeve and first st from front, P 23. 167 stitches.
What does this mean, practically speaking?
Raglan sleeve -Baby sweater
It’s a way of joining the lower portion of the sleeves to the fronts on one side and to the back on the other side. You’re to purl 2 together at each join, that is p2tog 4 times (left front at front of sleeve, back of sleeve to left side of back, right side of back to right sleeve and front of right sleeve to right front).
I don’t get the same total number of sts that you do but perhaps there’s something else going on in the pattern.
*P23 with ws of left sleeve facing, P tog last st from left front and 1st st from sleeve (raglan seam), P across sleeve to last st, P tog last st from sleeve and first st from back, purl across back to last st, with ws of right facing, P tog last st from back and 1st st from sleeve, purl across sleeve to last st, P tog last st from sleeve and first st from front, P 23. 167 stitches.
You are now going to join the three pieces (two sleeves, body piece). From what you describe sounds like you are making a cardigan and it has been worked from the bottom up. Look at the body piece, and realize/visualize that the two spots of 6CO sts are going to be the bottom of the arm holes. Start on the body and purl 23 of the 24 sts (one front panel). Then join the last st there with the 1st st on one of the sleeves. Then work across the sleeve to the last st. Join the last sleeve stitch to the next available st on the body (1st of the back sts). Then work across the sweater back to the last st. Join the last st with the 1st stitch of the other sleeve. Work across the sleeve to the last st. Join the last st with the 1st of the remaining body sts (other front panel). Work remaing sts to end.
The next few rows will be difficult as stretching your needles across the 24 sleeve sts can be hard. You will definitely benefit by using a “magic loop” type technique. But, after a few rows you will slowly decrease the number of sts across the sleeve as you set in the raglan, and it will become easier.
Thank you for your help. In fact, there is an error in the pattern. 23 + 24 +48 = 95! I didn’t see that.
Thank you for helping me to visual the pattern and the tip re: a magic loop technique.