Dec on foll 1 alt rows, then on 1 foll 4th row

[KPetersen]

Hello happy knitters,

After having knitted enough scarves to fill up my entire wardrobe, I have now made the big jump to knitting my very first sweater. I am knitting the 'Smoulder' sweater from Kim Hargreaves and there is a part in the pattern that I just don't understand.

I have knitted the first part of the back and now have to start shaping the armholes.
I am knitting a size small and currently have 55 sts on my needle.

The pattern now says:

Keeping patt correct, cast off 3 sts at beg of next 2 rows. 49 sts. (I got this far, but then the trouble starts)

Dec 1 st at each end of next 3 rows, then on foll 1 alt rows, then on 1 foll 4th row. 39 sts.

I don't understand what I am supposed to be doing here apart from obviously decreasing.

I dec 1 st at each end but then how many times on which rows? I don't understand 'then on foll 1 alt rows, then on 1 foll 4th row.'

Could somebody break this down for me?

Thank you very much in advance.

[salmonmac]

Hi and welcome to the KH forum!
It sounds like the beginning of the armhole and the sleeve cap shaping. After the cast off of 3sts at the beg of the next 2 rows, call the next row, row 1. You would decrease at each end of rows 1,2,3,5 and 9. That'll take you from 49sts to 39sts as the patterns says. Good luck with finishing up the sweater.

[suzeeq]

An 'alt row' mean 'alternate row' or every other one. So after the 3 rows of decreasing every one, skip a row and dec on the next. Then work 3 rows plain and dec on the 4th row.

[KPetersen]

Hello,

Thank you so much for your quick and helpful responses! I understand it now - back to my knitting.

Have a lovely day!