Heeeeeelllp please. Stuck on a pattern.

at the same time when working 1st shoulder decrease, cast off the centre 24 stitches.

So you need to do them at the same time as the first decrease so the back of the neck will be just slightly lower than the shoulders. I think!

I was puzzling this but thinking I would have to write and draw it out! However, I think you need to:

Knit to 35cm, finishing on a wrong side row. Next row - cast off for shoulder as instructed, then knit to centre 24 stitches, cast these off, then continue along the row to end. Next row (wrong side facing) cast off for shoulder as instructions. Continue along the row.
You will have to rejoin the yarn to continue the other side which is past the 24 cast-off stitches. Carry on as per instructions, casting off every 2nd row 5 stitches twice and 6 stitches once (because you want both sides to be the same on the back).
This will give a small slope to the shoulder and the shoulders end up just slightly higher than the cast-off for the neck (the 24 stitches).

I hope this is right (you could try drawing it on a piece of graph paper).

However, I am just happily making a mess of a similar little cardigan as I was too busy watching Downton and forgot to do some of the decreases on the left front up to the underarm (it is supposed to be a bit shaped). Shall I undo and reknit or just take in a bit extra when sewing up? It's very soft yarn.

I think I'll cheat, as I have a smaller cardigan to knit as well - and won't get them done if I am on here.

You are being very gallant - things WILL improve, it takes time.

Clinging to the wreckage icy - things can only get better.

I do hope your cardigan works out nicely.

Oh mishap thank you very much. That sounds sensible to me. How kind of you to reply - how are you?

Well - this is what I think they mean you to do on the back...........

Usually on the back of a garment you do not do neck shaping - this is just on the front where the neck is lower. And this is what I think they are saying.

I think you need to bash on straight until you get to 35 cm (i.e. the start of the shoulder shaping) and then cast off at the beginning of each row 5 stitches twice and 6 stitches once. The reason that you are casting off at the beginning of each row is because you really need to cast off at the beginning and end of every other row, but you cannot do casting off at the end of a row - I hope I am making this clear!

You will then finish up with 24 stitches on your needle which you simply cast off - these stitches represent the back of the neck and are the ones that you should pick up for the ribbing when you have sewn the back to the front.