Too many stitches or not enough?

[sissyv]

I am making a sweater for my husband. I dont know how many stitches I started with but I casted off 18 (9 each - two rows) for armhole shaping- so both are the same (I knit front and back at same time) so anyway, I'm getting ready to do the neck part on the front but according to the pattern (following instructions for large size) I should have 156 Stitches- I only have 146. So I'm a little confused as to how this will affect the pattern and how I go about if from this point.
http://www.patonsyarns.com/pattern.p...4209&cps=21191
Thanks

[suzeeq]

Are you doing the large or XL? The L ends up with 150 sts and the XL 156.

After you did the ribbing did you do the increase row before going on to the pattern stitches?
"Rep last 2 rows until work from beg measures 1½ ins [3 cm], ending on a 2nd row and inc 10 (8-10-12) sts evenly across last row. 144 (154-164- 174) sts" And if you did do this inc row, did you inc the correct amount?

[sissyv]

Are you doing the large or XL? The L ends up with 150 sts and the XL 156.

After you did the ribbing did you do the increase row before going on to the pattern stitches?
"Rep last 2 rows until work from beg measures 1½ ins [3 cm], ending on a 2nd row and inc 10 (8-10-12) sts evenly across last row. 144 (154-164- 174) sts" And if you did do this inc row, did you inc the correct amount?

Im not sure! It looks rather large probably xl but now I dont have enough stitches so how do I do this? I have worked far too laong and hard to rip it out!

[sissyv]

Im not sure! It looks rather large probably xl but now I dont have enough stitches so how do I do this? I have worked far too laong and hard to rip it out!

I thought I done everything correctly Please tell me this is fixable!

[GrumpyGramma]

Im not sure! It looks rather large probably xl but now I dont have enough stitches so how do I do this? I have worked far too laong and hard to rip it out!

Do you know which set of numbers you've been using?

Do you know how many stitches you cast on to start? or does "I dont know how many stitches I started with" refer to your cast on?

With the right info, the mods can help you figure out whether you can fix it and if so, how.

[salmonmac]

This is going to make the chest of the sweater a little smaller, probably about by about an inch across the front and another inch across the back. If that's ok and the sweater seems like a good fit for your husband, just continue with the pattern up to the shoulder shaping. When you get there, cast off 16sts at the beginning of the next 6 rows and leave the center 50sts on a holder or spare needle (16x6)+50=146.
You'll need to work the same pattern for the back. You can tell how many sts you cast on by counting the sts in the k2p2 rib at the beginning of the front. Also, look at the way the cable panels are set up and count the k3p2 ribs on the sides to make sure you're doing the back the same way as the front. It's always a good idea to go through the pattern and circle the all directions for the size you're making.
As long as the smaller size fits, you should be ok. Keep good notes from now on for all the steps you're doing, like the shoulder shaping.

[suzeeq]

You can figure out how many sts you cast on by counting the knit and purl ribs on the lower edge. There's 2 sts per rib, so count the ribs and multiply by 2. Lay out your piece and measure it, it may be close to the right measurement you need anyway. If so, then adjust the shoulder shaping as Salmonmac has written above.

[sissyv]

Thanks for the help, but the next part is confusing me too! The neck shaping thing. It says to pattern across 62 st (i did that) then turn leave rem st on spare needle. Dec 1 st at neck edge on next 9 rows
This is where I am confused- If I follow these instructions wont my neck edge be only on one side?Shouldnt the neck edge be in the middle? And when I turn it how do I continue knitting it?

[suzeeq]

You work on one shoulder/side of neck at a time. So work the pattern across 62 sts then turn and dec one stitch, finish the row. Turn and on the RS row, work to where you turned before, decreasing the last 2 sts. Turn, and dec, finish the row. And so on until you've done 9 rows. Read on after this and you'll find that you either BO the center sts, or leave them on hold and work the other shoulder the same way, with the neck edge sts decreased also.