How to knit a v neck on a circular needle.....updated tutorial

I posted this tutorial in January 2013 and it has received many visits and comments.  So here it is again....an updated and improved version rewritten to address some of the comments that I received.  

Spoiler alert

This is a long and detailed tutorial.  Reading it takes longer than actually knitting the v section of the neckline. After the first round, you will find the instructions very easy to follow. If you want to head straight to the pattern, scroll down to Lights, Camera, Action. 

Prologue

I spent many hours knitting a jumper for my daughter. She chose the pattern and I wanted to do it justice. However, it had been translated into English from another language and had lost some detail along the way.

I knitted the front and back of the jumper and followed the instructions to sew them together at the shoulders. The pattern then called for knitting the edging to the v neck in the round on one circular needle. This is where my problems began because the pattern was very vague about exactly how to do this.

In short, I had to rip out 2 botched attempts and go for lots of calming walks.

I then performed an Internet search and found many different methods of knitting a v neck in the round. I cast some stitches onto a very short circular needle and tried some of them but none looked good with Aran wool which shows up every stitch very clearly.

Eventually, I went back to my original pattern and pored over it until I understood what to do. This took far longer than I was happy with. So, in case I ever knit another v neck jumper, I just want to record the detailed instructions here. If anyone else finds them useful, that will be a bonus. You're welcome!

Setting the scene

I was knitting with Aran wool, but this method will work with any weight yarn. I had already sewn the shoulders of the jumper together. My v neck edging was in single rib and I decreased 2 stitches on every row.

Lights, camera, action

By following these steps, I ended up with a neckline that looked good.

• pick up and knit with a circular needle the number of stitches specified in your pattern. For neatness, commence picking up at one of the shoulders.
• mark the centre stitch at the bottom of the v with a safety pin or other marker. 
• round 1: starting with a k1, work the k1 p1 rib until one stitch before the centre stitch. 

The stitch before the centre stitch is waiting to be worked

• with the yarn at the back of your work, slip the next stitch purlwise onto the right hand needle. (NB: when I use the term "purlwise" it is to imply that the stitch should be slipped without twisting it. In the rest of the pattern, all stitches that are slipped are done without twisting them.)
• slip the centre stitch onto a cable needle and keep it to the front of your work. 
• remove the safety pin.

The centre stitch is on a cable needle at the front of the work

• slip the last stitch from the right hand needle back onto the left hand needle.
• knit together the first two stitches on the left hand needle. This is the first decrease.

Knitting two stitches together for the first decrease

• you now have to knit the second decrease. I am removing my original instructions and replacing them with a method suggested by Ian Young. I have also removed some photos because they do not match Ian Young's method. His method is easier and safer than my original method and it is the one I follow when knitting a v neck in the round. Thank you, Ian Young!
• The "Ian Young" method 
  
  
  • Slip the stitch from the cable needle onto the left needle. Then slip the last stitch from the right needle onto the left needle.  With your fingers, or maybe a crochet hook, carefully pull the stitch that was on the cable needle over this last stitch. This is now your new centre stitch. So, insert the safety pin into it. Return this stitch to your right needle and carry on ribbing. 
  • Please note: for best results, the ribbing at both sides of the centre stitch should be mirrored. So, for example, if your last ribbed stitch before the centre stitch was a knit stitch your first ribbed stitch after the centre stitch should be a knit stitch. Likewise, if the last stitch before the centre stitch was purl the first stitch should be purl.
  • Continue ribbing to the end of round 1. Depending on how many stitches you originally picked up, your last stitch could be a knit or purl stitch. If it is a purl stitch, commence round 2 with a k1 p1 rib. If it is a knit stitch, knit it together with the first knit stitch on round 2 in order to keep the k1 p1 ribbing correct. From round 2 onwards you will always end on a purl stitch.

• complete the number of rounds as specified in your pattern.
• cast off ribwise. The decreasing process described above is also done on this cast off row.

Take a bow!

You have now completed your v neckline and should have a neat finish similar to my first photo above.

Boring but necessary: this tutorial is all my own work.  I am happy for you to refer to it and even to publish links to it. But please don't reproduce the text or photos on any other website or blog without my permission.  Many thanks.