I am about to start the neck shaping on my sweater and I'm not sure if I understand it.

Here is the pattern: (at this point I have 64 sts on ndls)

Next Row (RS, dec): K20 sts, sl rem sts to st holder

Cont with sts on ndl as foll: Dec 1 st at neck edge every other row twice, ending RS row complete [18 sts]
Sl rem sts to st holder
With RS facing, sl center 24 sts onto st holder (for base of neck), knit rem sts off st holder onto larger ndls. Starting with WS facing, work dec rows as for first neckline shaping [18 sts].

:?? :??

So I get the Next Row part it's the rest that I'm a little hazy on. So if I'm reading it right for the dec part: (after I knit the 20) I dec on the WS, knit a row, dec on WS, and knit another row so I end with a RS complete. How do I know what is the neck edge??

The rest confuses me. Aren't the rest of the stitches already on a st holder? And do they mean take the center 24 sts from the holder?? Don't I have 2 st holders at this point? ugh, I am way over thinking it and hurting my brain!! :wall: :??

The neck edge is the one closest to the sts on the stitch holder, at the end of the RS row/ beginning of the WS row. You'll see it as you work on it.

What the pattern is saying is to place the stitches you've been working on to a holder; the 18 sts that are left after you've decreased.

Then you take a new end of yarn and go to the first set of sts you put on a holder and begin working with them. Keep the 24 stitches on the holder, or move to another holder, and that gives you 20 stitches for the other shoulder, which you dec like you did the first one. Only you're going to be decreasing on the RS, not the WS; also at the neck edge.

When you read a pattern in advance it can be really confusing until you're already there, but once you start working on it and follow along with your yarn and needles, it all begins to make sense.

sue