Shaping Neck - HELP!

How-to Questions
1

I need help with this pattern:

…(36 sts remaining before shaping neck)

(Part 1) Shape neck: Next Row (RS) K1, k2tog, k5 (neck edge). Turn. [B]Leave rem sts on a spare needle.
[/B]

[B](Part 2)[/B] Dec 1 st at neck edge on next 3 rows, at same time, dec 1 st at raglan edge on following alt row, as before, 3 sts rem.
Next row: k1, k2tog
Next row: P2
Next row: k2tog, fasten off.

[B](part 3)[/B] with RS facing, slip next 20 sts onto a st holder. Join yarn to rem sts and knit to last 3 sts. S1. K1, psso. K1

[B](part 4) [/B]Dec 1 st at neck edge on next 3 rows, at same time, dec 1 st at raglan edge on following alt row, as before. 3 sts rem.
next row: s1, k1, psso, k1
next row: p2
next row: s1 k1 psso. fasten off.

Here are my questions:

  1. Part 1: So if I am leaving rem sts on a spare needle, what stitches am I working in Part 2??? The rem sts on the spare needle?

  2. I can understand the rest of part 2 just fine, but if I have fastened off and finished, what in the world is part 3 and 4 about? I imagine it is the same instructions for a different size, BUT they don’t actually say that anywhere. I am really confused.

2

You have 36 stitches when you start. For part one you:

Next Row (RS) K1, k2tog, k5 (neck edge). Turn.
That is working across only 8 of your 36 stitches. You stop there and turn to work back over the same 8 stitches (those will be the stitches you work in part 2)put the other 28 sts on a spare needle.

You will also be working parts 3 and 4. You do part one over the 8 stitches and put the other 28 on the spare needle, turn and do part 2 over the 8 stitches, ending up with only 1 stitch.

Then in part 3 you go back to the 28 stitches that are on the spare needle. Put what will be the center 20 stitches of the neck on a stitch holder and with the 8 shoulder stitches you do part 4 which is like part 2 only reversed and it also ends up with only 1 stitch.