Novice knitter - help needed with baby cardigan pattern please!

[Mumbledore]

As far as I can tell, I've done the back from the bottom so far - 3 rows garter stitch then stocking stitch on 62 stitches until it measures 17cm ending on a WS row. All fine. The next step is 'shape arms' and the instruction is ' cast on 36st at beg of next 2 rows (126st). Starting with a k row work in g stitch for 32 rows.' Do I cast on my first 36 stitches then knit these to get to the other side then cast on my other 36 stitches and start my 32 rows from there? It's the only way I can think of but one arm will have an extra row because I'm knitting across to get to the other side I'd be very grateful if anyone could educate me!

Yes, one arm will have an extra row but the difference will be negligible.

Thank you, I can carry on now. Was probably overthinking it!

Not very intuitive! Often arms are not knit in with the main body of the garment; either you knit separate pieces and sew everything together afterwards, or you put some stitches on waste yarn and pick them up later to make sleeves.

Right, now I'm either being incredibly stupid or this pattern is wrong! The number of stitches doesn't add up.

I have 62, the pattern says 'cast on 36st at beginning of next 2 rows (126st), work in g st for 32 rows' Doesn't this make 134?

The next stage is 'shape right front: K55 and turn, leaving rem 67st on a holder' This suggests I should have 122 now!

Where am I going wrong, please?

You're not going wrong, the pattern is barmy.
You are right: if you start with 62 and add 2x 36 you end up with 134 sts. If you then take 55 off you have 79 left over.
It's difficult to say where they are going from there. Have you go a link to the pattern?

Also: you start counting yoru rows afte you have done your 2 casting on rows for the sleeves, so on the right side again. I usually put a marker in (different bit of thread on the right hand side) to make counting easier.

Is it a free pattern, OP? Or could you possibly be reading the instructions for two different sizes?

So it's not me then?! It's a pattern in The Knitting Book published by DK - I could understand it if it was free off the internet but it's not!

It's just one size to fit a newborn tribpot so it's not that either.

I think I might try reading the pattern backwards to this point to see if I can work out how many stitches there should actually be. Thanks for your help both. Trust me to pick this as my first project!

Hi I think I have the same pattern in a book is the cardigan purple? If it is I'm just trying to re write it if I can for you

Blimey. The book's publisher has noted that there was a number of corrections and these have been made in subsequent printings but that is unbelievably shoddy for a book of that price. The Amazon reviews are mixed between people who love it and people who found it to be full of mistakes.

To be honest, I would send it back if you can. As a beginner you really need to be able to trust the pattern, and that one sounds hopeless.

However, I did find the pattern on Ravelry and the author appears to have errata available upon request so all is not lost if you want to carry on.

Failing that, between the three of us we can certainly agree what a sensible pattern would look like!

Mine is adding up stitch wise ok in my book do you want me to try fix the mistakes in your one

Tribpot the one in my book seems fine

After you cast on for sleeves you have total 134 sts.
Continue in garter stitch for a further 32 rows
Shape right front:
K57 and turn leaving remaining 77 sts on a holder.
Shape neck
Row 1 was is a decrease row (56 sts)
Row 2 dec row 55
Row 3 dec row 54

Knit 11 rows
Are the numbers the same as yours in your pattern yet?

I have forwarded pattern to tribpot. So she should be able to help. Good luck.

Yep - got that. Btw I looked at the comments on the pattern on Rav and someone was having your exact problem, Mumbledore. I would email kathryn.meeker at uk.dk.com - they need to know how many of these erroneous patterns are still in circulation

Thanks for all your help everyone - I have messaged you soremummy. I'm glad it's a library book! I will stick a post it note in when I return it for anyone else attempting this. I'll let the library know too as they may want to replace it. My knitting career has not got off to a great start - I can't believe such a rubbish pattern would be published. Oh well, I won't give up, I will finish this cardigan one way or another!

There are some really easy top down no seaming cardigans on ravelry. A lot are free but one is about £3 called pop and its really easy to do

How about the Baby Kimono or Harvest?

I'm very glad it's a library book so you haven't shelled out for it, but I would definitely tell the library so they can return it to the publisher for a replacement.