Another newbie needing help reading a pattern!

#1

Hi,

It appears there are a lot of us who start knitting and get stumped by the pattern. I’m following a Debbie Bliss pattern for a Cabled Cape which reads:

Beg with a k row, work 4 rows in st st
Next row P to end
Inc row k4, [p2, m1, p2, m1, k4] to end
Now work in patt as follows:

1st row (rs) p4, [k8, p4] to end
2nd row k4, [p8, k4] to end
3rd and 4th rows As 1st and 2nd rows
5th row p4, [c8B, p4] to end
6th row As 2nd row
7th and 8th rows As 1st and 2nd rows
9th to 20th rows Rep 1st to 8th rows once, then 1st to 4th rows again
21st row (dec) p1, p2tog, p1, [C8B, p1, p2tog, p1] to end
22 row k3, [p8, k3] to end

23rd to 36th rows Cont as set, working cables as before, but with 3 sts in reverse st st between cables.

Apologies for length, my question is…

What does that last instruction mean? I’ve tried and tried to work it out but have no idea :shrug:

Any help would be much appreciated, thank you!

#2

The last instruction is to work the cable sts just the same, but notices there’s 3 rev stockinette sts (p3) between them instead of 4 because you decreased.

#3

Thank you Suzeeq for your quick reply. I’m afraid I really am a knitting newbie and am still a bit uncertain (I’ve only made 2 knit st scarves before this!) Previously I’ve not cabled every row so do I now rev st st 3 then C8B repeat to end on each row? That doesn’t seem
quite right to me but as I’ve never used a pattern before I’m clueless.

#4

You continue doing the cables as you have been, you don’t cross the sts every row. In between the crosses you just knit the cable sts like you did before. See here where it says “1st row (rs) p4, [k8, p4] to end” the k8 are the sts used in the cables, but you have 4 purl sts between them. After you decrease on row 21 - p1, [I]p2tog[/I], p1, [C8B, p1,[I] p2tog[/I], p1] - that turns the 4 purl sts into 3. It shows that on the next WS row “22 row k3, [p8, k3] to end” where there’s only 3 sts between the 8 sts used in the cable. Then after row 22 go back to row 1 which will now be “p3, [k8, p3]” and repeat rows 1 to 12 again. That’s all, then there may be another dec on row 13, but we need to get you to that point first. You’ll see how it works out when you get to row 23/1.

#5

Thank you thank you thank you! I can carry on again now. Moral of the story? Never let your boyfriend choose a knitting pattern for you! :slight_smile: