Hello, I started about a year ago and have made a baby blanket, a twist headband, a cable scarf, and 3 jumpers. With the jumpers I used the same pattern and it was using circular needles. I was in a charity shop one day and saw a pattern for a Christmas jumper and wanted to make it for my niece. Now it’s a pattern designed for straight needles and I have managed to do the motif and get to the shaping neck part but now I am confused. I will attach the instructions and if someone can explain them to me in simple terms that would be great. My other jumper pattern was using German short rows and I’m so confused which short row method this new jumper is using and where the neck edge is? Thank you, I look forward to hearing from you!
Shape neck and shoulder
Depending on the size your knitting you knit for example 27 stitches then turn the work around so your on the wrong side.then you decrease in the first stitch this is the neck edge.so when you end that row and turn to the next row the neck edge will be at the end of the row as opposed to the start.
Thank you so much, I actually understand that! Which decrease would I use as I’m confused between k2tg, p2tg or ssk, ssp. And would I have to slip the stitch from where the working yarns coming from onto the other needle?
You could use k2tog on right side and p2tog on the wrong side if that helps
Hello
You might want to look at “mirrored decreases” there are lots of videos.
Some knitters like to place the decrease 1 or 2 stitches in from the edge which has a professional look and leaves a neat stitch to work into later, for a rib neck band for instance. Personally I don’t like the look of it quite as much and make mine right on the edge.
With mirrored decreases you’d work one side (right or left) of the sweater neck with the stitches leaning one way and work the other side of the sweater with the stitches leaning the other way. The way they lean is up to you and how you prefer it to look, but you need to be consistent.
I was just looking at a tutorial of a neck which suggested decreases lean towards the fabric getting smaller (ie away from the neck and towards the shoulder) but again I have a different preference, I like to lean mine in towards the neck so the dec stitch sort of disappears into the rib band and the remaining stitch appears more straight in it column.
It is personal preference.
As you are working both the right and wrong side, if you work k2tog on the right side you can use p2tog on the wrong side. If you use ssk on the right side it will be ssp on the wrong side.
Hope this helps
Thank you, that is very useful. I actually have decided to use k2tg for the right side at the neck edge and p2tg for the wrong side at the neck edge. I have just completed my 6 rows of decrease (I am doing size 5 for reference) and I have finished up with 31 stitches which is what I was supposed to end with. Now I am struggling with the following instruction of work 7 rows, thus ending with a p row. Does this just mean work the same 31 stitches back and forth again with no decreases knitting ont he right side and purling on the wrong side?
Thank you very much, I have done this and it seems to have worked!
Also this is what it looks like but I’m thinking possibly left leaning decreases would have been better? What do you think?
Lovely jumper well done
Thank you. I’m sorry I have another question, it’s about the shaping shoulder part now. My guess is that I cast off 10 stitches by knitting 2 at a time onto my right needle but then after those 7 do I carry on knitting the rest of the row and then turn my work to be on the wrong side and then cast off another 10 purling way? And then knit 1 row and then cast off the remaining stitches?
Cast off the ten stitches then purl a row then cast off another ten purl another row then cast off
Ah thank you. So have they condensed the instructions?
And also after I’ve casted off the 10 stitches on one row do I knit to the end of that and then turn or turn after the casting off part?
Yes thatsnit,msame stutches but Jo decreases.
Sweater looks grand!
When you rejoin the yarn for the other shoulder you’ll need to work ssk and ssp for the decreases to lean in the opposite way to mirror the other side.
I personally prefer the lean the other way but I believe the way you have gone is more professional so it is good!
For the shape shoulder, yes cast off the 10 (a knit row), work the rest of the row, turn, purl back, turn cast off 10, work the rest of the row, turn andmourl back, turn cast off remaining stitches.
Brilliant and thank you so much, I’m very happy with it so far!
One step ahead of you and have done the ssk and ssp, I’m happy I did it right though!
You’ve explained this all amazingly so I can’t thank you enough.
I am actually on my 7th row for the shaping neck for the second side, now it says “working an extra row before shaping shoulder” but I thought I had to end on a purl row? Or would I then cast off purlwise and then knit a row and carry on like that?
You would end those 5 rows without decreases on a purl row but as the next part, casting off, needs to happen at arm edge (which is the other end of the row) it tells you to work one extra, that’s a knit row, that means “next row” where you begin the shape shoulder cast off is the purl side and the arm edge and the correct place for the casting off.
So, yes, you are correct, cast off on the purl side (purl wise), work to end, turn, knit across, etc.
Sweaters often have an extra row on one side, due to where you need to be to make the shaping cast offs. The extra row won’t be noticable.
Some times instead of rejoining yarn at the neck edge I move it and rejoin at the arm edge which makes the shaping correct without the additional row but usually this is not needed and it depends on the pattern stitch etc. Patterns are always adaptable for what the knitter prefers to do.
Thank you very much for that well explained answer!
You’re very welcome. Your neice is very lucky to have such a lovely sweater made for her.
Do ask if there are any more tricky bits.
Awhh that’s very sweet of you to say, thank you! Let’s hope it turns out okay, I’ll keep you updated with it. I’ve attached a photo of what it looked like yesterday with the scarf on (not sewn yet).
Despite being called into work to cover a shift for someone who’s ill, I’ve still managed to get the front complete and I’ve done the ribbing on the back panel and about 10 or so rows after this. Thank you, I will be taking you up on that offer.
I’m not actually at this part yet but for the back panel it says “work as front from ** to **. Join in MS and work until back matches front to start of shoulder shaping”. Now I get that this means do the same amount of rows that I did for the front but do I also do the shape neck part for the back too and then for the shape shoulder go to the part in the back instructions? I hope that makes sense.
Then another question is that for the front panel i’ve left 18 stitches on a stitch holder in the centre and it seems I’ll be doing similar for the back panel but when do I use these stitches again as i’ve read the instructions and see nothing about picking them up again or anything?
Thank you in advance!
Well, that’s just adorable with the scarf!
For the back, you will work as it says the same until the double asterisk, then work in MC until it measures the same as the front up to shoulder shaping.
The back has its own shoulder shaping which differs to the front and, no, you don’t do the neck shape as the front, only follow the back instruction (back neck is higher than front neck so the sweater sits well when worn). The number of stitches put on hold for the back also differs.
The stitches on hold at the front and back will be used to work the rib neck band. There will be a section after the back, possibly called making up, or assembly. In this section you will seam (most likely but I am making assumptions as I don’t have the pattern) the right shoulder which will join the front to the back. Then you will (prob) start at the left front and pick up a number of stitches down the edge of the front neck, work along the front stitches on hold, pick up the right neck edge, work along the back stitches on hold. These stitches will be worked back and forth in rib then bound off.
Following this there is seaming left shoulder and neck band, setting in sleeves and seaming of the sleeves and side seams on the body.
Have you seamed much before? If your previous sweaters were in the round you might not have experience of seaming, mattress stitch is great, try it on a couple of swatches first to get the feel of it. I like to seam the shoulders with a faux graft which is similar to mattress stitch but softer and leaves the seam a little flatter, but again this is personal preference.
That’s quite a lot to take in but you’ll get there one bit at a time.