Many of you have probably reached the neckline shaping on this project, which is a little tricky. While keeping the original cabled motif, the neckline decreases must be worked. First, be sure to read the note in the pattern that explains how to work the bind offs for this section. To bind off 2 stitches, for example, you would slip the first stitch as if to purl, knit the next stitch and then hop the first over the second and off the needle. By slipping this first stitch instead of knitting it, you are making the bindoffs less abrupt and flow a bit better with the neckline.

Depending on how you decided to lengthen your sweater, if at all, your neckline may or may not look like that seen here or the photograph in the book. Either way, it isn’t super important, as long as you continue to work as much of the chart as you can. So, for example, if you were instructed to bind off 3 stitches and this falls on row 13 of the chart, meaning that the first 3 stitches of the chart would be bound off,  you wouldn’t be able to work the first cable and would just purl the next stitch after the last one bound off and then continue the chart as directed. Since some of the chart will be “eaten”, you may want to throw a marker onto your needle that marks the halfway point of the chart so that you always have a point of reference. Then mark your chart so that you know exactly where that marker falls. This way, if you are confused about what to do, you can reference the marker and the marked point on the chart and sort it out from there.

How are folks coming along? Isn’t 16 sts per inch the most fabulous gauge! Goes so much faster than my usual sport and fingering weight projects…