Hi everyone,
I used to knit a bit when I was younger but I have issues reading patterns and making something other than a scarf.
I was wondering if someone could help break down this knitting pattern for me.
I can look up tutorials on how to do the individual stitches but I get quite lost when it comes to how many rows I’m supposed to knit and what the #'s in the brackets mean - ex. Next row (RS): BO 15 (17, 20, 22, 25, 27, 30, 32) sts, knit to end.
I really do want to make this sweater so I will put in the effort
Welcome to KH!
The numbers in the parentheses refer to the different sizes. Decide which size you want to make based on the measurements at the beginning of the pattern and then circle that size and the directions for that size throughout the pattern. So for this row, you would bind off the stitches indicated for your size.
There’s a Glossary tab at the top of the page that will help with definitions and videos but come back here if you have questions.
This sweater comes in a very large range on sizes but it’s very cute.
That’s a cute sweater. It looks like a fun knit. Learning to read and understand patterns can be challenging, I know it was for me. I’m sure you can learn to decipher the language of knitting and as salmonmac said, you can always get help here.
when working with a pattern with so many sizing options i like to print it off and scratch out the numbers that do not pertain to me. so all i see is what i need.
i used to circle/highlight the numbers i needed, but would still find myself occasionally looking at the different numbers so when i was learning to read patterns just narrowing it down to what i needed worked best.
it may take some extra time in the beginning, but if you can go through the whole pattern and then start you also have an idea of what is coming up.
i never start by just knitting, i always read through and make any notes i need to before starting.
Thanks so much for the warm welcome everyone!
I took everyone’s advice and ran through it to figure out the knitting jargon. I have a few questions though.
The beginning seems pretty straight forward, however using a stitch holder makes me a little nervous, but I think I’ll ask questions when I get to that.
My first question is how am I supposed to know when I’m supposed to use the circular needles? Right now the only thing I can anticipate those for is the sleeves.
And clarification on my 1st step is simply doing the back:
“Back
With colour A, CO 74 stitches
Work in St st, as described in the stitch guide, until piece measures 24” by 61 cm from CO edge (uncurl lower edge to measure correctly), ending with a WS row completed."
Simply said, I am casting off 74 stitches and following the stitch stitch described till I hit the desired dimensions of 24" by 61 cm? Or simply till it’s 24 inches long? Then I finish it off completely by the wrong side and not holding stitches. Simply close it off?
The 16 inxh circular needle is a very short one and it’s used to knit the collar or neckband in the round. This is a nice way to finish the collar.
For the back, cast on 74 stitches and work in stockinette stitch (knit one row, purl one row) unti the back measures 24 inches long. That’s the equicalent of 61cm. You’ll end with a wrong side row (meaning that you’re ready to knit on the right side row). Start the row by binding off stitches to shape the shoulders. Don’t bind off all the stitches. Start by binding off 22stitches then knit to the end of the row. Next row (WS): BO 22sts, purl to end of row.
Place rem 30 sts on holder for the neck.
Don’t worry about slipping the sts to a holder (you can use some scrap yarn for this too), It’s like moving stitches from one needle to another without knitting them.
For the size you’re knitting (the 3rd size inside the parentheses) the width of the back should be 18 inches). Be sure to knit a gauge swatch so that you get 16stitches in 4inches in stockinette stitch with your needles. See the video here if you need to http://www.knittinghelp.com/video/play/gauge-basics
Just starting on the front and wanted some advice on whether I should add the initial with duplicate stitch or intrinsia? I also wanted to adjust this so that I would be doing a C instead of an H. Any tips on how to do that?
Great progress.
You can chart out the letter on knitter’s graph paper (see here for a site that will print it out for your gauge) or you could use one of the charted letters here.
I would tend to use duplicate stitch since there are parts of the C that are quite thin (at least in the font used for the H on the sweater) but I’d be interested in what others think. You might try both out with some scrap yarn to see which you prefer.
Have fun with it!
Great thanks! Just finishing up the front, but I’m wondering why it’s telling me to knit, slip and knit more stitches then I’ve cast on for the shoulders.
k45, slip last 16, and k29. I only had 74 cast on…
That’s correct. The 16 slipped sts are 16sts out of the k45 (45+29=74). That way you’ll have 29sts for each shoulder and 16sts on a holder for the center front neck opening. This opening may look too large when you get it put together but don’t worry, the collar will pull it in to a smaller size.
"Next row (RS): K45, slip last 16 sts worked onto stitch holder for centre neck, k29"
So knit 45 and then slip 16 of these knit sts from the right needle to a holder.
Hi salmonmac,
Thanks again for the help. I think I need further clarification on this part because it’s making me a little nervous. So I did as you said. I now have 2 different needles on here, but I have a feeling I shouldn’t have knit those stitches that I put on the stitch holder. I think I’ll take those off and slip them back on to the stitch holder as when I finished my purl stitches (if that makes sense - please clarify if this is wrong).
Furthermore, I’m confused as to which shoulder I’ll be working on. Should I be doing the actions described below on both?
R1 (WS): Purl to last 3 sts before neck opening (what I put on the stitch holder) and then last 3 - p2 together and p 1 so that in total I’ll ave 28 stitches remaining on this needle. Then I repeat this but in a backwards fashion for the next needle? Such that the side closest to the neck is p1 and then p2 together and then the remainder just purled?
You should knit those stitches. The reason is that it brings the working yarn to the tip of the right needle (or now, the end of the stitch holder) so that you’re ready to knit the right shoulder sts, the k29 in the instructions below…
"Next row (RS): K45, slip last 16 sts [I]worked[/I] onto stitch holder for centre neck, [I]k29[/I]
Work [I]right shoulder[/I] (as worn) sts only"
Once you’ve completed this knit row, turn and purl back to the last 3sts, p2tog, p1. The instructions want you to finish this shoulder first. Of course, you can do both shoulders at the same time but the simplest thing may be to follow the directions at least this first time through. It’s a very explicit pattern, even giving you the directions for shaping the left shoulder instead of just instructing you to “reverse the shaping”. I’d put a sticky note on these rows and move it row by row. You’ve got the idea and you’ll be fine.
I’ve connected my shoulders using grafting and hope to move on to the sleeves. I’m not really sure how I’m picking up stitches or what that even entails. Could someone recommend a video of what creating these sleeves entails?
My main confusion is ‘picking up 80 stitches between front and back armhole markers’. I’ve marked where they told me to previously. It’s ‘picking up’ that’s a little huh for me. But from there it simply seems to be a pattern of what I’ve been doing.
Here’s a good video for picking up stitches. Mark off the area for the sleeve sts into smaller sections, maybe quarters. That way you can keep on track to pick up the 80sts (20 in each quarter).
Wow, you are really making progress with this sweater.
So I’ll be picking up 40 from the front piece and 40 from the back piece? Your advice is to divide these in half and mark where I’ll pick up the halves (20 stitches)? I’m using the circular needles for this as well, right?
Also, how will I know if I’m picking up at the right spot? Am I supposed to center what I pick up at the marker or pick up stitches before or after where my marker is? Also, the movie advised that I pick up 3 stitches and skip 1. Would you suggest I do the same?
Sorry if this sounds scattered. Please let me know if you need any clarification with regards to what I’m asking.
"So I’ll be picking up 40 from the front piece and 40 from the back piece? Your advice is to divide these in half and mark where I’ll pick up the halves (20 stitches)? I’m using the circular needles for this as well, right?"
Yes, pick up 40sts on the front and 40 on the back (20 in each section if you divide the front and back in halves) and the circular needle is fine. You’ll be knitting back and forth in rows and not joining in the round.
You don’t have to pick up very precisely along the armhole. For the front (or the back) you have 10 inches in which to pick up sts. That’s about 60rows (you can count how many rows you actually have). If you pick up 40sts in 60rows, that 2sts/3rows. A stitch or two, more or less isn’t going to make a big difference. You can always add or subtract a few sts on the next row. The markers are just to make sure you don’t get to the end of the armhole having picked up 70sts or 90sts.
Give it a try. Try to pick up along the same column of sts and it’ll look beautiful.
Thanks for the quick reply. Everytime you reply with answers I come up with new questions. I’m just trying to picture how I’m going to do this.
I think I get most of it now. I’m going to use the mattress stitch to put the seams together at the end. So I should pick up at the markers and go to the top then move on to the back and continue down to the marker? I think the last of my questions for the sleeve.
Yes, you’ve got it. The pattern starts knitting the picked up sleeve sts on a WS row, but it really doesn’t matter. Just pick up the sts and start stockinette stitch for the given number of rows.
