Can any knitters help me out understanding a pattern?

[Heartmum2Jamie]

I am a pretty inexperienced in that I a recently self taught knitter. I can do the basics but am not so good at reading patterns. I am a good 2/3 of the way through a Debbie Bliss pattern (for the duffle coat in essential baby), but do not understand what I am supposed to do next. For anyone who knows of the pattern, I have done the back, left & right fronts and have just reached the hood stage but don't understand where it tells me to join the shoulder seams.

Also, the whole pattern is in garter stitch, which is the best way to join/sew the seams?

[Everhopeful]

Tricky to be sure of where to put the joins without seeing the pattern, but if you have a hoodie, the basic construction should be the same. There are several ways to join pieces - I like backstitch as close to the edge as possible, as that makes it smoother for the baby.

[hackneyzoo]

Heartmum.....did you work out how to do it? I am in the same boat as you and at the same stage and completely stuck! If you worked it out can you post how you did it? I would be very grateful!

[ali11]

HI
Have not seen the pattern but if you have two cast off edges for shoulder put them together and sew the two outside edged of it it will give you a not seen seam
Ellen

[DutchOma]

Ok, what you need to do is this: you have the back, put it on the table with the right side up. If it's all in garter stitch it will be difficult to determine which the right side is, but it doesn't matter too much.
The put the fronts on top of it with the wrong side up, so the two right sides are together.
Then sew with a backstitch (google if you don't know what that means) along the top of the garment.
Your next instruction will be to pick up the stitches for the hood with the right side facing.
hth, come back if you are still stuck.

[hackneyzoo]

Thank you both! Dutch Oma that's made it completely clear! reading patterns is like a whole new language!

[DutchOma]

Glad it helped. Things that are mighty simple once you have done them might seem very tricky when you have never seen it before.
Come back if there are any other problems, I think you have done very well to get this far without getting stuck.

Have you thought of joining Ravelry? You need to ask for an invitation but it only takes a few days to come through.
Once there join the Mumsknitters, there are quite a few beginners on there and maybe also a local group.

It's Ravelry.com

[hackneyzoo]

Thanks Dutchoma, I will give it a try