wrong and right side

[asabre]

I've been knitting for a few months now, so I am starting to knit things that are a little harder. I just started a sweater, and I am confused about right and wrong side. I understand that wrong side is the inside of the sweater and that the right side is the outside of the sweater. What I am confused about is this for example:
"(RS) Begin Gtr St; work 3 rows even,
end after a WS row. Change to St st; (RS)work 2 rows even, end after a WS row."

Does right side mean the right side is facing towards you, or away from you?
Is my 4th row a knit row or a purl row?

[RochesterKnitter]

Well, first let me say, welcome to knitting.

Secondly, with Garter stitch the WS and RS look the same, which may be giving you some trouble.

Thirdly, all sides (RS or WS) are facing you when you work them and away from you when you are not, so this is not a way to determine RS/WS.
---
However, you are correct that the RS is usually the outside/visible side of the pattern/garment and WS is the backside/inside of the patterngarment.

Unless you are told otherwise, after the CO row the 1st row (and all following odd number rows) are the RS rows. The second row ( and all following even rows) are the WS rows.

This will also correlate to when you work charts where the 1st row is read from the right (RS) and the 2nd row is read from the left (WS).

Therefore,
RS=odds (1,3)=outside=front=chart right
WS=evens (2,4)=inside=back=chart left
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Occasionally, you will be told that your 1st row is a WS row. Then everything will be the opposite.

[salmonmac]

"(RS) Begin Gtr St; work 3 rows even,
end after a WS row. Change to St st; (RS)work 2 rows even, end after a WS row."

Directions like this make me wonder if there is an alternative knitting universe. If you work 3 rows of garter st starting on the RS, your last worked row is a RS row so you can't "end after a WS row". Do 4 rows of garter st instead of 3 (row 4 is a knit row, the last of garter st rows). That way you'll end after a WS row and you next sts will be on the RS to begin the stockinette st (begin with a knit row, row 5). If there is going to be another similar piece (e.g. a sweater front, another mitten) make a note of what you've done on the pattern if possible, so you can do the same again.

[asabre]

Thank you guys so much!
Salmonmac, that's why I was having trouble lol.

So I'm having trouble with the rest of the piece
"work back piece until 4inches, end on a wrong side row. place sts on holder."
I have finished this part. The next part I am confused about.
"right front bodice
Slip 9 sts from right front holder onto smaller needle and join yarn preparing to work a ws row. Work even in stockinette st for 1 1/4 inches from neck BO. End after a ws row. BO all sts."
The problem I have is what does join yarn mean and how do you do this?

[salmonmac]

Join yarn means to attach a new end of yarn and start knitting. All you need to do is leave about a 6 inch tail to weave in later. Hold the yarn in place (maybe with you left hand) and knit the first few sts. You can tighten up the first st which will be a little loose if you want or you can wait until you're finished to tighten it up a bit. It won't be going anywhere.

[asabre]

Ok thank you so much!