Confused about knitting autumnal cardigan pattern

SyndiConrad wrote

on Mar 1, 2013 8:45 AM

I am knitting the autumnal cardigan pattern from knitbot.  The pattern starts at the bottom and works up.  At one point, it says to divide for sleeves by knitting to marker, binding off 12, knit to second marker, bind off 12 and knit to end.  Then you are supposed to work the left front, decreasing from 27 to 18 stitches,  then you reattach yarn, work the right front, decreasing from 27 stitches to 18 stitches.  You reattach yarn, work the back until 48 stitches remain and put those 48 stitches on a holder.

My question  is this:  while I am working the left front (and later the right front), do the stitches not being worked remain on the needle or should they be placed on a holder even thought the pattern does not mention doing so?

I can't picture how you can keep working one side with the other parts still on the needle.  I don't want to screw this up because I have worked on it for many many hours (stitches are tiny ones).

chewchew wrote

on Mar 1, 2013 9:00 AM

I would put them on a stitch holder - one for the right front and one for the back.  Or you can thread yarn through those stitches (make sure you have enough yarn to either tie it or leave them hanging so that they don't come off the thread) if it makes it easier to work with.  

I would think it would be difficult to work with all the stitches on the needle.  

SyndiConrad wrote

on Mar 1, 2013 11:40 AM

Thanks so much for your quick reply.  This only my second cardigan and the other one was knitted sideways rather than the top down.  I really appreciate your help.