Heeelpppp meeeee........

[mrspotter-tru]

So I got the 2008 knitting calendar for Christmas and of course as a knitting compulsion dictates, I had to start a project. Enter "Halfa" by Leanne Dyck. Totally cute and doable. Right? (Marge Simpson like groan).

You can use any worsted weight yarn (I am stash busting so Patons Classic Wool) on size 8 needles.

You can also use any stitch, garter, seed, moss, etc. I am using stock stitch. Okay.

Back and Front
Cast on 60 (got it) work in desired pattern for 8 inches (you bet) Use 3 needle cast off technique to bind off 15 stitches at the beg and end of his row (this is where it gets dicey).

So I did a front piece with 60 stitches and 15 bo beg and end, and the back piece, 15 beg and end. So, how do I do a 3 needle cast off? The front and back are done separately.

Now, here we go to my second problem

Place 60 st (30 front and 30 from back) on circular needles and work for 6 inches. Cast off

Okay, so again, back and front are already seamed, and then am I picking up the stitches? Because these 30 and 30 are not bound off so they are live stitches, so am I putting these on a stitch holder?

Sleeves (I got this)

Finishing
Sew on sleeves
Sew shoulders and sleeves seams. End both sleeve seams 5" from under arm
Weave in ends

Okay, I am totally lost on the finishing,because I don't have anywhere near 5 inches to seam.

I casted on 72 stitches since I am curvier then the average bear, and adjusted the math accordingly (36 instead of 30, etc.)

Can any one help? Ingrid? Suzeeq? Anyone..

[Julie]

For starters...

Three needle bind-off is used to join two separate pieces of knitting...have you done it before or watched the video? (it's the last video at the bottom of this page: http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/casting-off )

From what I can tell, you are connecting the front and back via three needle bind-off (the shoulder seams). So, say, the first 15 of the front and last 15 of the back would become the right shoulder, and the 15 + 15 at the other end will be the left shoulder seam. Then the middle 30 (or 36 in your case) from each piece will be knit in the round to make the turtleneck. When you finish this part, there will be no live stitches left.

As far as the finishing goes, you're knitting the sleeves flat. So you'll need to sew the shoulder edge first (perpendicular to the shoulder seam that you three-needle-bound-off) then sew the actual sleeve seam, starting at the wrist edge, and ending 5" from the shoulder edge, if that makes any sense.

It's kind of an oddly written pattern, but I get it now that I've taken a good look at it. LMK if I made any sense! :D

[mrspotter-tru]

Okay but, if I am doing the front and the back, then how do I get the needles in position to do the 3 needle bo? Essentially, do I just need to use two sets of needles? Am I making any sense? I just took Nyquil.

[Julie]

LOL to the nyquil :D

Yes, you'll need extra needles. I'd just put one set of stitches on holders or any old needle while I used the project needles to do the 3NBO.

[mrspotter-tru]

But..but

Okay, so, yeah....


I did the whole thing, but...

Oh, I am just going to start over...