Please help me shape my raglan armholes!

[Lauralovestoknit]

Hi everyone! I'm knitting a baby sweater and i don't understand my pattern, please help!!
This is what it says

1. keeping pattern correct, cast off 2 sts at beg of next two rows...(86 sts) **
- I've done this and then repeated it twice for the ** so I've ended up with 78 sts
- also ive done the cast off only at the beginning of each row I'm knitting which now looks kinda weird, one side seems to decrease more than the other?

2. Dec at each end of next and foll 4th (alt-alt-alt-alt) roads until 68 (44-62-84-etc) sts rem, then in alt (every- every- every - every) row/s until 40 (42-44-46-48-50) sts rem.
Work 1 (0-0-0-0) rows

That second part I'm really confused by, please help! Thanks so much!!

[salmonmac]

You start by casting off 2sts at the beg of the next two rows so the two sides are even. If your pattern is stockinette, you cast off 2sts at the beginning of the knit row and then work to the end of the row, turn and cast off 2sts at the beginning of the purl row. So far it's symmetrical. It shouldn't be lopsided.
I'm not sure what you mean by "then repeated it twice for the ** so I've ended up with 78 sts". The asterisks mark a section of the pattern and are not necessarily a "repeat twice" indication.

For the second part, the directions depend on which size you are making. For the smallest size, decrease on the next and the following 4th rows until you reach the st number for your size. Then for the smallest size, decrease on alternate rows (that is every other row) until you reach the st number for your size.
What is the pattern that you're doing and which size are you making?

[Ingrid]

First, the bind-offs should have been at the beginning of each of 4 rows, so that you have removed 4 stitches from each side. The decreases wouldn't have only been on the knit side, but on the purl sides, as well. If they are not even, you'll need to go back and correct this in order to have the sides even.

Once you're set with the above, decrease at each edge on the next row (ssk, work to last two stitches, k2tog).

How often you do this depends on the size you're making. If you're making the smallest size, do this decrease on every 4th row after this.

If you're making one of the larger sizes, then do the decrease every other row.

Work until you have the number of remaining stitches for your size.

[Lauralovestoknit]

Thank you for your help, I see where I've gone wrong with the first part.
I am making a mock cable sweater in the newborn size (the first size inside the brackets) I've made the pattern by TW2 following by stocking stitch rows.

I've gone back and undone what I'd done so the first part ive K2 together at the start of each row and have ended up with 86 sts as the pattern says ( I thought ** meant repeat so I kept going twice but I see that was wrong)

For decrease at each end of next and following 4th rows should I decease just one or two sts as I did before?

[salmonmac]

Usually a decrease at each end of a row is one st although it can be more sts. I think in your case it's one st at each end because you need to decrease 42sts to get from 86 to 44 and eventually 42sts. (42sts is divisible by 2sts decreased total per row but not by 4sts dec total per row. Also to go from 44 to 42sts you would decrease one st at each end.)

So, bottom line, decrease one st at each end.

[Jane9898]

How do I start a new thread to ask some questions?

[Jan in CA]

How do I start a new thread to ask some questions?

Go into the forum that's appropriate for you topic and click the big orange "New Thread" button at the top of the forum.

[Jane9898]

I can't see NEW THREAD anywhere :(
I'm using ipad1 on safari, could it be the reason? Or bcos I'm only less than an hour old after registration on this site?

[suzeeq]

Go to one of the Forums, like General Knitting. Just below the ad, above the list of thread, on the left side, there should be a button that says 'Start New Thread'. It's possible that between the browser and the Ipad it's not showing up right for you.

[Jane9898]

I found it, thank you!!