Shoulder Shaping - Beginner in need of help!

Hi All

I am making my first cardigan and am nearing the end of the main back piece which is 89 stitches wide. The pattern says the following:

  • Cast off 9(10:11:12:13:13) sts at the beginning of next 4 rows. (37(37:37:37:37:39) sts)
  • Cast off 8(8:8:7:7:8) sts at the beginning of next 2 rows. (21(21:21:23:23:23) sts)
  • Leave remaining sts on a holder
    (I’m making the penultimate size)

Could someone please explain what the instructions mean in more detail. Ideally as basic as possible! Please describe the steps like you are talking to an alien as I just can envisage what the steps look like!!

Thanks in advance.

Hello
Do you know how to do a cast off?
In short you knit the first stitch, knit the second (2 sts on the right needle) then lift the first stitch over the second and off the needle (use the left needle to lift that stitch over and off but without working or dropping any other stitches), this leaves 1 stitch on the right needle. This is one cast off.
For your pattern you do this 13 times for 13 cast offs. Then continue your usual pattern to the end of the row.
That’s row 1.
Turn do the same for row 2 and 3 and 4.
(I recommend counting to check the number of stitches each row)

Then start counting rows at 1 again because the next instruction is to cast off 7 stitches beginning row 1.
And again row 2.
Each time you still work the rest of the row in your usual pattern.

Then slip the 23 stitches you are left with into a holder. If you don’t have a holder get some spare yarn and a needle and slip the stitches onto the needle, onto the yarn Nd knot the 2 ends of the spare yarn together so your stitches can’t fall off.
Leave those for later (there will be instructions later on to come back to these)

If you haven’t cast off before it would be good to watch a video.

Is this ok? Need more help?

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Thank you SO much! This is very clear. Yep I can cast off so think I should be good to go now! Thanks again.

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Great.
Glad to help.
Let us know if you get stuck.

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Hi Creations - wondering if I could call on your knitting wisdom again please?!

I understand the start of the sleeve which is knitting the cuff, but once the cuff is done it says:
Next row (RS): Kfb in each st. (56(56:60:60:64:64) sts)
Next row: Purl.
Next row: K0(2:3:7:6:7), *kfb, k4(3:4:2:3:2); repeat from * until 1(2:2:8:6:6) sts remain, kfb, k0(1:1:7:5:5). (68(70:72:76:78:82) sts)

Would you be able to explain what Kfb means please?

Thank you!

Sure.
Sometimes there are descriptions in an abbreviatios section of a pattern.

Kfb is knit front and back. It uses one stitch to make two so increases the stitch count by one each time.

Knit into the stitch as usual but do not pass it off 7our left needle, instead reinsert your right needle into the back leg of the same stitch, wrap yarn as usual and bring it through. Now drop the worked stitch off the left needle as you usually would. You now have 2 stitches on the right needle.

There are video tutorials to see this in action if you need one?
As your first row is kfb in each stitch I would expect the stitch count to double. From 32 to 64.

Hope this helps.

That’s great - very clear. Thank you so much :slight_smile: