# what does it mean "work both sides at once" in knitting



## BamaSuzy (May 10, 2002)

I have found what looks like a fairly easy sweater to knit for babies and small children BUT there's only once part of the instructions I don't understand.

The sweater is knit all at once in garter stitch with casting on for the sleeves and then casting off etc

BUT for the neck it says to knit and "join another ball of yarn and bind off center" so WHY DO I NEED TO JOIN ANOTHER BALL OF YARN HERE if it's all once color and all one stich? After the neck it says to "drop the other ball of yarn."

Also after you bind off for the nexk and finish the row it says to "WORK BOTH SIDES AT ONCE FOR 3 ROWS."

What in the heck i "working both sides at once?" 

ANY HELP WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!!!! I can make scarves, hats, purses, baby booties, and lots of things like that but I've never seen these instructions before.


----------



## mistletoad (Apr 17, 2003)

Right. You will be working both sides as they come up from the neckline to the shoulder. The pieces are separated by the cast off neck so you cannot use one ball of yarn.

I will admit I do not follow those instructions - I prefer a very stretchy neck for small children so I always adapt the pattern, BUT if the pattern is clear about how often to cast off, decrease, how many rows to knit etc. you COULD knit one side after the other if that makes you more comfortable. Just make sure to make the second side exactly the same (mirror image) of the first side.


----------



## GardenNut (Sep 7, 2010)

You could do one side of the neck at a time, but doing both sides together helps keep things more even. If you lose count, and add a couple of extra rows on one side, the whole front will be all crooked. I think, but haven't tried, that if you really wanted to use one ball of yarn, you could steek the neck, but that would be more trouble than it's worth, imo.


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

I am convinced there needs to be more video tutorials in the world of knitting!


----------



## mistletoad (Apr 17, 2003)

I've thought about it, but I bite my fingernails and my mother would be mortified! lol


----------



## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

mistletoad said:


> I've thought about it, but I bite my fingernails and my mother would be mortified! lol


Don't tell them!!! Just post them for us.  We can keep a secret.


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Mrs. Homesteader said:


> Don't tell them!!! Just post them for us.  We can keep a secret.


I AGREE!!!
I seriously need one on knitting short finger gloves. I am totally confused.


----------



## BamaSuzy (May 10, 2002)

whew! I THINK I understand it now! But I won't be sure until I get that first side knitted and get to the neck!!! I'm going to try it this weekend (if my farm store is not ultra-busy (which I hope hope hope it is!  so I'll let ya'll know how it goes!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!


----------



## BamaSuzy (May 10, 2002)

IT WORKED!!!! I now have knitted a baby sweater 3/4 of the way....the neckline is BEAUTIFUL!  I really couldn't understand this until I got to that point and then had to add on the other ball of yarn and do all that! I'm using a pattern from a 1979 magazine that my daughter picked up for me at the Salvation Army thrift store! 

THANK YOU AGAIN SO MUCH!!!


----------



## GardenNut (Sep 7, 2010)

Hooray!


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

BamaSuzy, there are lots of times when things just do NOT make any sense at all. I call these leap of faith moments. Sometimes you just have to *NOT* think about it and just do what it says and as you work it, or when you finish, you will have a better understanding of what happened. Sock heels are this way. You just cannot think about it. Sometime we over think too much.

Now, not thinking about it and not understanding it are two different things. If you don't know what you are expected to do that is completely different. I am so glad you were able to finish this.

Don't forget to take pictures so we can see it too, PLEASE!


----------

