Twisted Cable Shell- Help! My Ks and Ps are mixed up!

#1

I am making this top, and I have just separated my stitches. On my wrong side, it says I should start with a purl, but mine is knit, (no matter which way I turn it). I don’t know what to do here- why would that be? If I purl, it will screw up the pattern. Here are the instructions:
Work pattern across to beginning of round for back stitches. From this point work back and
forth on straight needles. 78, 94, (106) sts on both front and back sides.
TIP-place marker in center of back on row 1, this way you can measure the back section
to finish length instead of measuring from bottom.
BACK SIDE:
Row 2: WS (P2, K2) repeat across ending with P1.
Row 3: RS P1, (K2, P2) repeat across ending with K2.
Work in pattern until back is 3”, 3”, (4”) from back marker. End on WS row.

My wrong side will be the inside of the of the sweater- so clearly I am on the right track, but my stitch pattern will be off if I follow the instructions.

#2

The pattern looks to be essentially the same all around. If that’s true, you could shift your beginning of round marker which is perhaps at the side. Move it over 2 sts so that you’ll shift the division between front and back. Shift so that when you start to work the WS, the sts begin with P2.

#3

Thanks, I will do that!

#4

Actually, I can’t do that. I have 106 stitches on each side of the armhole shaping from the previous- so moving it over won’t work, because I don’t know what to do with the other two stitches if I were to move over. I am wondering though, could I just reverse rows 2 and 3? (So k2, p2 on the ws,- but then how would I do the next row?

#5

Move the other two stitches as well, so you still have 106 stitches for the front and 106 for the back, but the split is now 2 stitches offset to what you currently have.

Does the pattern have a close-up photo of the edges of the front or back of the top? This might help us see what’s going on, although as the designer has knitted the sample in a darker colour, we might not be able to see.

Also, is there any instruction about selvedge stitches?

#6

I don’t understand, I wish there was a video… My cast offs have separated my stitches, and I just don’t get how to move the stitches now. Plus, in doing these rows, I am supposed to end with a purl 1 on row 2 and a k2 on row 3. This will disrupt the pattern.

#7

Oh, I didn’t realise that you had cast off sections for the underarms. Sorry. In that case, yes, it is too late to rearrange the divided stitches.

One option would be to go back and undo the cast offs, so you can get the rib in the right place. The other option would be to do as you said, to continue in a way that keeps your ribbing aligned.

I am not sure why the designer would want a single purl 1 at one edge. I would be tempted to ignore that. From the right side, you would want to see either two knits or two purls framing your knitting – so two purls at either side or two knits at either side.

Alternatively, it might be meant to create a tiny amount of 1x1 rib at each side, but the designer has made a mistake.

Whichever way you go, make sure the sides (selvedges) are symmetrical and you should be okay.

#8

The problem is with the rows that you initially quoted for RS, WS. They have a P1 repeated at one edge to give a garter edge on one edge although the purl 1 isn’t shown on the other side. In order to make the math work, there should be a P1 at the other side of the row too. That P1 would be repeated to give a garter edge there as well. (K2,P2)x26=104 and then a purl 1 at the beginning of every row and one at the end of every row to equal 106.

If you’re sts for the back start with a k2, it’ll also work to just k2p2 across ending with a k2.

The bottom line is work the sts as they appear on the row facing you. Knit the knits and purl the purls so that the columns of sts stay aligned. The only exception is the single purl stitch on each edge which is always purl if that works with the sts you have to start the row.

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