Yoke on baby dress pattern

Good morning. I’m really stuck with the yoke on a Peter Gregory pattern. Pattern reads: Slip first 21 stitches on back to another holder, then with a set of size 9 needles, rejoin yarn to remaining 24 stitches, knit across these stitches then knit across stitches on right sleeve, front and left sleeve holders then knit across remaining stitches on back holder, cast on 3 stitches and turn. How on earth do I knit the remaining stitches on the back holder when it’s at the other end of the needle. I’m totally confused. The pattern says I need a set of 4 size 9 needles but nowhere does it tell you where or how to use them.

Welcome to KH!
What is the name of your pattern?
It seems that the pattern is going to start a new beginning of row where you will be knitting back and forth rather than in the round. The back sts are to be split so that there is an opening with 3 cast on sts for a button or buttonhole band.
Slip the first 21sts of the back off the needle to a holder. Cut the current yarn strand leaving about a 6" tail to weave in later. Rejoin a new end of yarn to the remaining back sts (24sts) and knit around the right sleeve, front and left sleeve. Now you can knit the held sts for the first half of the back, the 21sts that are on hold and turn to work back over these same sts.

Once you start this yoke section you’ll be using the size 9 double pointed needles as the yoke will have decreases and get smaller as you knit to the neck.

Hi, thank you so much for replying so quickly. The name of the pattern is Peter Gregory, pattern number 650. I’ll attach a copy. Nowhere does it mention using double pointed needles - just size 9 knitting needles. I’ve never used double
pointed before. I was ready to chuck it out of the window :grimacing:

(Attachment KNIT-Peter-Gregory-650-Babys-dress-and-coat-41-51cm.pdf is missing)

The size 9 double points might be needed for sleeves? Are they knit back and forth or in the round? Or it could just be a mistake and the regular size 9 needle is fine.

We can’t post large portions of patterns due to designer copyright. Just the name is fine and thank you for that.

Hi, as far as I can see, back and forth. I just can’t figure out how to knit over the 21 stitches left on the holder when they are at the other end of the needle!

IMG_6534.jpeg

The 21sts should be on a holder not the knitting needle. I’m guessing your beginning of round marker (BOR) is where it’s labeled below. The next 21sts (red line, a part of the back) are slipped to a holder and the new yarn end is started at the blue arrow before the second half of the back, the 24sts.

Then you knit around over the 24sts, the right sleeve, front and left sleeve. The 21sts on a holder are slipped off a holder and onto a needle. You may have to reorient the sts so that you can keep them from twisting this part of the back. Do this by slipping to another needle if necessary.

Hi again, how do I get the 21 stitches on to the front of the needle to be able to turn and work back?

OK, once you’ve joined and knit the 21sts from the holder so that all the stitches are on the needle, cast on 3sts, turn as you would at the end of a row and work back over the 21, then the left sleeve, the front, the right sleeve ending by knitting the 24sts of the back.
It might help if you post a photo showing the current stitches on your needles. Use the landscape icon in the middle top of the Reply box to post a photo.

Thank you. This is helpful. Yes, I have the 21 stitches on a holder but I just couldn’t fathom out how to knit them once I’d knitted over the left sleeve. I’ll give it a go. As I said, it’s working back and forth, not in a round. Thank you so much for your help. I’ll keep you posted.

Thank you. I’ll start later this evening and will post a photo when I have all the stitches in the needle.

Here is the dress all on 1 needle with the 21 stitches if the back still on the holder. How do I now proceed?

My problem is that even if I knit the 21 stitches on another needle, I can’t get it all onto 1 needle as the main needle is facing the wrong way!

I’m really lost with this. The pattern is really not clear.

Your diagram appears to be on a round needle. I’m using ordinary needles, as per the pattern. It just does not work.

It looks like you’ve been knitting the dress on straight needles (see the link above in post #4). Or is this a jacket?
Is this the sweater parts shown from the inside or wrong side of the knitting?

You’ll need a circular needle to accommodate all the stitches for the pieces and to give you the bend in order to connect the back sts.
The next thing to do is to slip the sleeve, front, sleeve and back 24sts to a circular needle. Then put the held 21sts on a needle (can be a straight) so that you can knit them onto the circular next to the sleeve sts. Now all the pieces will be on one needle in order, 1/2 back, sleeve, front, sleeve, 1/2 back and you can cast on 3sts, turn and knit for garter stitch along all the parts.

Is this the way the parts are lined up on the straight needle right to left (B=back, S=sleeve, F=front, S=sleeve)?

If this is a jacket instead of a dress as shown, (There is a jacket in this pattern stitch.) I’m not sure what the split at the back or cast on of 3sts is for if not a back opening for ease of putting over a baby’s head?

It’s a dress. There’s no mention of using circular needles. The pattern says a set of 4 size 9 needles for the dress and the back of the yoke is fastened with press fasteners, which, I presume, is the 3 cast on stitches. Yes, it’s, S, F, S, B and, as prompted by the pattern, says start with wrong side facing.

OK, good. I don’t see how to accommodate the sts or join the back held sts to the sleeve without a circular.
You want the split up the back yoke to be between the 21 and 24 back sts.

As an alternative, you could continue on the straight needles and work those 21sts with a separate ball of yarn creating an opening between them and the sleeve which would be seamed up later. You would still turn at the split between the 2 backs but some of the sts would be worked with the second yarn ball.

Your knitting looks very pretty and it’s a gorgeous dress.

I think you’re right. I believe it’s an error in the pattern but there is no contact number for them. I think I may give it a go with a separate ball of yarn. Once it’s finished, if I ever do get it finished, I will send a photo.

Thank you so much for all your help. You’ve been great. I’m so glad I found this website.

1 Like

Hello
Could it be that there is a confusion with needing the set of 4 needles? If the pattern doesn’t state they are a set of 4 double pointed needles it was maybe assumed that a knitter knows that “set of” refers to double pointed?? It’s just a thought. Often patterns do make assumptions about what us knitters know.

It might be worth buying a circular or set of double pointed needles for this as what is on your needles looks so pretty!
Good luck with finding a solution.

1 Like

I think the “set of four size 9 needles” is referring to a set of four double pointed needles (DPNs), like sock needles but longer, as Creations suggested.

You can use these or a circular needle (a needle with a long cord). It will be easier for you to get hold of a circular needle, as these are stocked by most wool shops. Long DPNs are still sold by specialist suppliers, but there might not be one nearby.

Before cords were able to be manufactured to be nice and smooth and flexible, large tubes were knitted on long DPNs. If you look up “gansey knitting needles” you will find photos and videos of people using them.

1 Like