FAQ: Split for Front and Back

Here's how everything looks as you begin the set up row. You have two markers on the needles: the beginning of round marker, and the side seam marker.

Starting at the beginning of round marker, knit across the specified number of stitches for your size. You will end before reaching the side seam marker.

Bind off the specified number of stitches for your size, removing the side seam marker as you work across it. A quick note here: the marker is centered over the total underarm bind off, so half of the stitches you will bind off are before the marker, and half are after the marker.

Knit across the specified number of stitches for your size and then place these stitches you just worked on a holder. Again, you will end before reaching the marker. You will use these stitches later as you work the upper back!

Bind off the specified number of stitches for your size, removing the marker for the beginning of round as you work across it. Like the first armhole, this marker is also centered over the underarm bind off, so you are binding off half of the stitches before the marker, and half of the stitches after the marker. Technically you are working a little bit into the next row! This gets you all set up and ready to work the first decrease row for the front armholes.

Here's how everything will look on your needles after the setup row! The "live" stitches on the needles are for the front, the back stitches are on a holder ready to use later, and the red sections show where you bound off stitches for each underarm.