# Decreasing at Neck Edge



## gwr24 (Feb 20, 2011)

I am knitting the left front side of a cardigan that states, in the pattern where I start shaping the neck, "Dec one st at neck edge on every row until 29 sts rem." Does this mean I decrease one stitch at the end of the row, turn work and decrease another stitch at the beginning of the next row? This would really be decreasing 2 stitches at the same spot (end of one row, beginning of next). Or do I only decrease one stitch at the beginning of the neck edge row? Thanks for any help anyone could give me.


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## no1girl (Sep 4, 2012)

it says every row, so that is what they mean...........otherwise it would tell you to decrease every plain OR purl row.


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## Cathryn 2ed (Feb 1, 2011)

With the right side facing you, the neck edge is to your left and the sleeve hole is to your right. 

Decrease on the left side of the piece only at the beginning of a row. Not at the end of the row.


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## Jessica-Jean (Mar 14, 2011)

gwr24 said:


> I am knitting the left front side of a cardigan that states, in the pattern where I start shaping the neck, "Dec one st *at neck edge* on every row until 29 sts rem." Does this mean I decrease one stitch at the end of the row, turn work and decrease another stitch at the beginning of the next row? This would really be decreasing 2 stitches at the same spot (end of one row, beginning of next). Or do I only decrease one stitch at the beginning of the neck edge row? Thanks for any help anyone could give me.


Many sweater patterns also have you performing decreases on the sleeve edge _at the same time_. Read ahead to see if that's happening in your pattern too.


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## jobailey (Dec 22, 2011)

gwr24 said:


> I am knitting the left front side of a cardigan that states, in the pattern where I start shaping the neck, "Dec one st at neck edge on every row until 29 sts rem." Does this mean I decrease one stitch at the end of the row, turn work and decrease another stitch at the beginning of the next row? This would really be decreasing 2 stitches at the same spot (end of one row, beginning of next). Or do I only decrease one stitch at the beginning of the neck edge row? Thanks for any help anyone could give me.


I think it means every row. So if you are starting at the neck edge, you would decrease at the beginning, knit across, turn, purl (assuming stockinette stitch) back and decrease at the end of the row which is the neck edge again. But I agree with Jessica-Jean, read the rest of the pattern to see if the clarifies it any better.


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## jobailey (Dec 22, 2011)

gwr24 said:


> I am knitting the left front side of a cardigan that states, in the pattern where I start shaping the neck, "Dec one st at neck edge on every row until 29 sts rem." Does this mean I decrease one stitch at the end of the row, turn work and decrease another stitch at the beginning of the next row? This would really be decreasing 2 stitches at the same spot (end of one row, beginning of next). Or do I only decrease one stitch at the beginning of the neck edge row? Thanks for any help anyone could give me.


I think it means every row. So if you are starting at the neck edge, you would decrease at the beginning, knit across, turn, purl (assuming stockinette stitch) back and decrease at the end of the row which is the neck edge again. But I agree with Jessica-Jean, read the rest of the pattern to see if the clarifies it any better.


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## jobailey (Dec 22, 2011)

Oops I did not mean to post that twice!!!


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## SKRUGER (Feb 24, 2012)

The pattern says to do it every row until you have 29 stitches left. You probably decrease at the armhole edge also. In addition, if you read ahead in the pattern you will probably be picking up stitches to make a neck band of some type that will complete the sweater.
I had to do it this way in a sweater that had a cowl neck.
Let us know how it turns out!


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## Leonora (Apr 22, 2011)

It states to dec every row until 29 sts remain, you are right in thinking it is at the beg of one row and the end of the next, but read to see if there are dec's at the armhole edge too.



gwr24 said:


> I am knitting the left front side of a cardigan that states, in the pattern where I start shaping the neck, "Dec one st at neck edge on every row until 29 sts rem." Does this mean I decrease one stitch at the end of the row, turn work and decrease another stitch at the beginning of the next row? This would really be decreasing 2 stitches at the same spot (end of one row, beginning of next). Or do I only decrease one stitch at the beginning of the neck edge row? Thanks for any help anyone could give me.


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## tamarque (Jan 21, 2011)

You may have to do a bit of reverse engineering on this pattern to check your process. It tells you to work to 29 stitches but at what depth does it reach this stitch number?
You might be able to tell from the pattern whether you want single decreases at the neck line or double decreases.

Also, can you contact the pattern writer or the publisher to see what they say. Pattern writing really has lots of little demands to it. Wish the writers would anticipate the questions when they do things that are not normative and give you an extra note about what you need to do.


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## jmcret05 (Oct 24, 2011)

I'm working on a V-neck sweater at the moment with similar instructions. You knit across to the neck edge, k2tog (or however you are doing your decrease), turn and purl across, turn, knit across to the neck edge, K2tog, turn, etc. That is for stockinette, you may have a stitch pattern to keep in mind also.

You should have a diagram with your pattern, and also some instructions that involved armhole shaping. I can't think of any instance that you would do a decrease and then turn and do another decrease in the same spot. It does say at the neck edge. Right?


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## tamarque (Jan 21, 2011)

We always need to remember that it another human who wrote the pattern and the room for errors is great. Even more so is the fact that when we communicate there is an assumption that we are clear and precise. Don't we know this to be false!


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## emmajane65 (Mar 4, 2017)

gwr24 said:


> I am knitting the left front side of a cardigan that states, in the pattern where I start shaping the neck, "Dec one st at neck edge on every row until 29 sts rem." Does this mean I decrease one stitch at the end of the row, turn work and decrease another stitch at the beginning of the next row? This would really be decreasing 2 stitches at the same spot (end of one row, beginning of next). Or do I only decrease one stitch at the beginning of the neck edge row? Thanks for any help anyone could give me.


I too am doing this. Could I just purl 2 together on the wrong side


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