Adding New Stitches in Middle of Row

[Gingerella72]

I did a search and cannot find an answer to my question.

The next part of my pattern (in the blasted dog sweater I've been working on forever) is thus:

(starting with 40 stitches on the needle):

P2, K3, turn; add on 4 sts loosley, turn; K3, P24, turn; add on 4 sts loosely, turn; K3, purl across: there should now be 48 sts on the needle.

Ok. In the directions it refers to on adding new stitches, it says "If you are adding new stitches in the middle of the row, you must begin by turning your work around so the needles are reversed. Knit first stitch on left needle, do not slip old stitch off needle. Insert left needle onto loop just worked from front to back and slip onto left needle. Then, if you added stitches in the middle of the row, turn your work again and proceed across the row."

Is this the same thing as casting on in the middle of a row, or picking up stitches? I have looked and looked for a video that shows exactly what this is talking about but I can't find anything like it.

When it says to turn the first time, I'm literally flipping the work around, like I'm going to work backwards, right? And then after adding the stitches, the 2nd turn is to flip it back the "right" way, correct? I'm so confused.

[GrumpyGramma]

You need to change the right needle to your left hand. The instructions you gave sound as if it's for a knitted cast on. After you do your cast on of 4 sts, put the needle back into your right hand and continue on across the row as instructed. Either there is a typo or I'm not adding right (entirely possible, even likely, or I'm just missing something) because starting out with 30 I come out with 38 sts to end the row, not 48.

[suzeeq]

It's explaining to you how to do a knit cast on. You would put the needle with the working yarn into your left hand by turning as if you were at the end of the row. Then knit into the first stitch, leave it and put the new stitch on the same needle. I'm getting 30 sts too. Unless, after the last k3, you just purl the remaining stiches..? That's probably it.

[Gingerella72]

Oops, no, it was my typo. 40 stitches on row to begin with.

So when I turn and switch needles, and add on the first stitch, to add on the other 3 I keep working into those added stitches, correct? Sorry to be so dense, I just can't wrap my brain around this.

[salmonmac]

This is casting on in the middle of the row. As GG explained, you're really just switching the needles in your hands, left needle to the right hand, right needle to the left hand and then doing a knit cast on. After the cast on, switch the needles back and continue on. You'll work the newly cast on sts in the next row.

[GrumpyGramma]

Found a video. CAST ON AT THE BEGINNING OF A ROW You'd do the same thing except for turning and starting a new row, just continue on with the row you're on.

ETA: It's one of those things that doesn't make sense until you've done it, at least it was for me. I don't think you're dense because then I would be too.

[suzeeq]

Yes, add 4 stitches, one by one by knitting into the one on the end of the needle. Then move the needle back, work the rest of the stitches to the next place you cast on.

[Gingerella72]

So for future reference, if a pattern just says to add stitches, I can assume it's telling me to do so using a knit cast on?

[GrumpyGramma]

So for future reference, if a pattern just says to add stitches, I can assume it's telling me to do so using a knit cast on?

Sorry, but no. Patterns will sometimes have notes that tell you to use a particular cast on. What you can do is use whichever one you want unless there's a particular reason for particular cast on. Sometimes a backward loop is easiest, quickest, and works just fine. Most of the time I'll use another.

[salmonmac]

If it says add stitches in the middle of a row, knit or cable cast on work well. If it's only 1 or 2 sts, backward loop is fine, too.