neck shaping question

kashadilla · 08-22-2006, 04:55 AM

I'm working on what is essentially going to be a tank top, and I just want to make sure I have this whole thing right before jumping into it. Everything makes sense to me until I get to the shoulders and neck shaping. instructions are as follows:
Mark center 34 sts temporarily with waste yarn. Next row: BO 8 sts at beg of row, knit to marked center sts, join new strand of yarn and BO center 34 sts for back nec,k, knit to end. Next row BO 8 sts purl to end of first group of sts, purl across next group of sts. working each side separately blah blah I understand the rest.

So when I get here...I take those center 34 OFF my needles and put them on a waste yarn line? then I knit to the waste yarn, and___________________________??? I use brand new yarn to BO the center, and then use that yarn to work the other shoulder? Then I start by BO 8 on the right shoulder with my first strand of yarn...and switch to my second strand to work the left shoulder? I guess I just don't understand how that would work...mostly because I don't have it right in front of me.
Am i even a little on track?

janelanespaintbrush · 08-22-2006, 03:36 PM

Does this help?

http://www.thedietdiary.com/blog/index.php?p=157

This is something I haven't had to do yet, but I had the above bookmarked for future reference.

AnreeAce · 08-22-2006, 03:50 PM

When the pattern says mark with waste yarn its telling you to tie some yarn on either end of those stitches to let yourself know when you've gotten there. I've got some split-ring markers I use for things like this, but any contrasting yarn would do the trick.

The pattern is telling you to work with two skeins at the same time, one on either side of the neck. It really is one of those things that makes much more sense when you get it in front of you. It's a little tough to visualize, but give it a shot!

Hope that helps!

knitqueen · 08-22-2006, 03:51 PM

Don't take those 34 stitches off your needle. It's just asking you to mark them with a waste yarn so that you know when you come to those during the next row. A different way to say it could be to place a marker at the beginning and end of the center 34 stitches. It's just a way of making note of which those stitches are so you don't make a mistake when it comes to binding those off.

And the second part....you are correct that you will start a new ball of yarn to bind off those center stitches, then continue on with that ball to the end of the row. That ball will from now on only be used for the front right of the sweater (right, as worn) and the original ball will only be used for the front left of the sweater. You will switch balls of yarn every time you move to the other side. It will make a lot of sense once you start doing it - it's a good way to get both sides done at one time and it helps ensure that you wind up with the same # of rows and the decreases placed in the same spots on right and left.