The instructions are very precise about where to pick those stitches up and how. This should make the process fairly straightforward. When told to knit up one stitch per ridge, this is what you'll be doing.
Above, you see the tip of my RH needle going into the bump at the top of the ridge, preparatory to knitting through it. At the corners of the back neck slope, the instructions say to M1R and M1L, with the added stitches leaning toward the centre back. This will help to close up any gaps.
Next, the instructions guide you in placing markers for buttonholes. Here are a couple of things to consider. First, if you intend to use smaller or larger buttons than those suggested in the "Notions" section, you may wish to explore other types of buttonholes. I happen to like this one because it is so simple and effective. Second, for the larger sizes, you may wish to add a fourth buttonhole. If so, simply re-space the markers, keeping the top one three stitches from the top and the bottom one four stitches from the bottom; for this type of buttonhole, the markers get placed BETWEEN the stitches.
Here is one of my newly-completed buttonholes.
Next, it's time to cast off (I learnt to say "cast off" instead of "bind off, and every now and then I can't resist reverting to it) the front border stitches. Be careful! As you approach the first marker you will reach a point where you have one stitch left on your RH needle with the marker at the top of the LH needle. You will need to get rid of that one stitch by removing the marker, knitting the first stitch on the far side of it, then pulling the last front border stitch over it. Similarly, when you get to the second marker, at the top of the right front border, you will see this.
Here, you will need to remove the marker, then k2 before pulling the first stitch over the second. When you're done the casting/binding off, do a stitch count and be sure to check it against the total in the pattern.
Now only the collar stitches remain. Let the short row fun begin! I'm using the Lucy Neatby/Meg Swansen method. Slip, wrap, and replace, or SWR for short. Sometimes you see instructions telling you to do the wrap loosely. Don't pay attention to them; strangle that wrap!
It now occurs to me that I ought to have prefaced this post with a bit of extra info for anyone using a colour-changing yarn like this Sonoma. For the entire front border/collar, I am NOT switching back and forth between two skeins. I'm doing this first, because I want the collar to be reversible and second, because almost every row is a different length, thus reducing worries about colour pooling.
The critical thing about deeper shawl collars (unlike the shallow one in Buttonbox), is that there must be an increase row across the back of the neck about halfway through the process. I did this at the point when I had ten garter stitch ridges facing me on the right side (I'm making size 3). Place a couple of markers at either side of the back neck.
Count the number of stitches between the markers and you'll know how far apart to space the kfb's. I ended up making them every two stitches twelve times. Here they are in close up.
Finally, comes the big bind off. It MUST be done quite loosely, so be sure to use a needle in your right hand that is two times larger than the one you used for the collar itself. I like to use a dpn in my right hand for better manoeuverability. You'll know you've got it right if your collar sits flat around your neck. If not, then rip back and do it over; you'll not regret it.
No photos of the finished collar yet. Next time.
