My first attempt at crocheting an infant sweater has gone completely awry! The pattern is a Red Heart pattern and was specifically chosen by me because it is rated as easy. The first little bit of crocheting was pretty straightforward but as I progressed further, problems came up.

The "sweater is worked in one piece sideways from beginning of center of Right Front, around Back and ending at center of Left Front. Stitches for Sleeves are picked up around Armhole and worked in rounds to Cuff." That I understand easily enough. Took me awhile to understand the orientation but I get that.

Now, here is the problem. The pattern is quoted below with numbers in parenthesis that correlate with a question I have.

"SWEATER
Right Front
With A, ch 31.
Row 1 (Right Side): Hdc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch
across – 30 sts.
Rows 2-3: Ch 1, turn, working in back loops only, hdc in
each st across.

Shape Neck (1)

Row 4 (Wrong Side): Ch 1, turn, work as established to
last st, work 2 hdc in last st – 31 sts.
Row 5: Ch 1, turn, work 2 hdc in first st, hdc in each st
across – 32 sts.
Rows 6-7: Repeat Rows 1-2 – 34 sts.
Row 8: Ch 1, turn, hdc in each st across.
Row 9: Ch 5 (2), turn, hdc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch
across, hdc in each st across – 38 sts.
Rows 10-13: Repeat Row 2.

Shape Armhole

Row 14: Ch 1, turn, hdc in next 23 sts.
Rows 15-16: Ch 1, turn, hdc in each st across.
Row 17: Ch 16 (2), turn, hdc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch
across, hdc in each st – 38 sts.

Back
Rows 18-21: Ch 1, turn, hdc in each st across.

Shape Neck (3)
Row 22: Ch 1, turn, hdc in each st to last st, leave last st
unworked – 37 sts.
Row 23: Ch 1, turn, hdc2tog, hdc in each st – 36 sts.
Rows 24-37: Ch 1, turn, hdc in each st across.
Rows 38-39: Repeat Rows 4-5 – 38 sts.
Rows 40-43: Ch 1, turn, hdc in each st across.

Shape Armhole (3)
Rows 44-51: Repeat Rows 14-21."

Question 1: What does "Shape Armhole" and "Shape Neck" mean exactly? When I followed the pattern (going through each row), there was no curve for the neck and no curve for the arm, just one straight piece of crocheted yarn.

Question 2: When I ch5 then ch16 further down the pattern, they are on opposite sides of the sweater and the ch5 is not for a button hole, which is what I originally had thought.

Question 3: Then, I saw directions for how to shape the armhole and neck further down the page and thought "Oh! I'm supposed to stop crocheting and follow the directions for how to shape the neck and armhole then go back and follow the directions from there!" But that wasn't the case since the sweater won't be worked in one complete piece.

Question 4: If I am supposed to stop crocheting and follow the directions for how to shape the neck and armhole then go back and follow the directions from there, why do the row numbers not repeat themselves?