Short Row Cardigan help

#1

I am doing short rows (Japanese short rows to be specific) and I understand how to do them but I am confused about my pattern and what to do. it says
BO 8st at the beginning of the next 2 rows…Ok easy enough

>Then decrease 1 st at the beginning of every other row 4 times.<

Does that mean I knit a row and purl a row then decrease the next 2 rows? With a total of 16 rows? I have just knit the row after the purl turn and need to know if I knit and turn normal or need to “BO” one.
I hope this makes sense I could really use the help :slight_smile:

#2

No, every other row is every 2nd row. So you BO at the beg of the next 2 rows, then on the 3rd row, sec, purl a row, dec on the knit row, purl a row, until you’ve done the dec row 4 times. A decrease is not a BO, it’s an ssk at the beg of the row. Look at the pattern again - if you’re doing the back and BO at the beg of the next 2 rows, then you should be doing a dec at the beg [I]and end[/I] of those dec rows.

#3

If I do a SSK then then I wont have a live stitch right? I am trying to keep the stitches live so I can do a 3 needle BO. I thought I would turn my work 1 stitch from the end and that would be my decrease? I just need to know if I do it on every row or not. Or am I not getting this short row thing?

#4

Aren’t these decreases done up the side of the armhole to shape it? That’s usually where the instructions ‘BO x sts at beg of next 2 rows and dec every other row 4 times’ would occur. It’s only the top of the shoulder you’d need to keep live, and then you’d do the short rows instead of binding off. Do you have a link to the pattern?

#5

Yes it is the side of the armhole. So I am supposed to be binding off the stitches. I thought I should keep them live so the shape would be more even?
Here is the link http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rogers-esque-cardigan-jacket
Sorry for all the trouble I want to get this right.

#6

When the whole piece is long enough, then you shape the shoulders. Bind off 7 (8, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9) at the
beginning of each of the next two rows (one right side, one wrong side). Then decrease 1 stitch at the
beginning of every other row 5 (6, 6, 4, 4, 5, 6) times. Total stitches on needle at this point: 68 (68, 72, 80,
84, 84, 86). Now work even until armhole measures 8.5 (8.5, 8.5, 9, 9, 9.5, 9.5).
Finally, bind off 6 (6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 7) stitches at the beginning of each of the next 8 rows. Then bind off the

This is what your pattern says. Sue is right this is for the back and you are just shaping the underarms at first. The pattern incorrectly says

When the whole piece is long enough, then you shape the shoulders.
Then it gives the steps and they are for the underarms, notice it then says
: Now work even until armhole measures 8.5 (8.5, 8.5, 9, 9, 9.5, 9.5).
So you are doing the armhole depth here.

If you want to do short rows for the shoulder shaping don’t start that until it says:

Finally, bind off 6 (6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 7) stitches at the beginning of each of the next 8 rows. Then bind off the
, etc. This is where the actual shoulder shaping starts.

#7

I have a comment about this part after the first of the BO rows - “Then decrease 1 stitch at the beginning of every other row 5 (6, 6, 4, 4, 5, 6) times.” I really think that should be at the beginning[B]and end[/B] of every other row. Otherwise you’re going to have decs at only one armhole and not the other and it’s going to be lopsided.

#8

Ohhhh I think that is what was throwing me off! It said shape shoulders so I was trying to lol. Thank you so much!

Sorry I am so thick Sue I didn’t get what you were talking about but thank you for trying to explain it to me.

#9

Sue is right in her last comment as well. The numbers don’t even work (despite the fact that it is not logical) if you only do it on one side. You have to do it on each side to end up with the right number of stitches after the underarm decreases.

Have you noticed a trend? This pattern seems to have some issues. :eyes: I hope it doesn’t foul you up somewhere.