Knitting pattern question

by Brigitte
(Toronto)

I'm knitting a Debbie Bliss sweater for a 24-36 month old child. The pattern for shaping the neck on the left front says: Decrease one stitch at neck edge on every row until 24 stitches remain.

I'm confused because it seems that there's a contradiction between "at neck edge" and "every row." I decreased on every row, which gives me the right length, but I now have a shaped neck and a shaped armhole.

Does that sound right?

Thanks for your help.

YOUR ANSWER

Depending on the shape of the sweater you are making, yes it does. Is is quite normal to have shaping at both the armhole edge and the neck edge for round neck, v neck or square neck sweaters, and in most cases you will always have both for a cardigan.

When you are decreasing at the neck edge on each row you decrease the last stitch on one row (in this case the rightside row) and the first stitch on the next row. Which is why some patterns can be confusing, it just takes too many words to explain it fully so you just get told to 'decrease 1 st on the neck edge on every row'.

Hope this helps.