Astrid Shawl - Decreasing in Cable section 1

#1

Back to the Cable section and decreasing . . .
I’m having a very hard time understanding parts of this pattern.
When you decrease one stitch every 6th row, how do you keep the pattern count correct? With less stitches, doesn’t it mess up the cables?
Please help!

#2

Welcome to the forum!
You have to account for the decreased sts. That means that you can’t follow the pattern precisely as written. You can pencil through the decreased stitch or look to your pattern stitches. If you align the cable, how should the pattern be worked between the edge decrease and the cables.
Above all you want to maintain the alignment of the cables and other stitch patterns that you have established in previous rows.
Maybe this Astrid?

#3

Thanks @salmonmac, that makes sense. And thank you for deleting my duplicate post!

#4

Keeping in pattern is difficult to do at first and sometimes requires trial and error. It’s not always obvious how to begin the rows after decreases or increases but it gets easier as you work the rows. Have fun with the shawl!

#5

Thanks. This pattern is alot more work than I expected, but the shawl is so beautiful!

1 Like
#6

Not sure if you’re starting the pattern or doing the cable pattern further down.
I’m on row 418 on this pattern.

When working the ws row after a pattern row look at your stitches and knit the knitted stitches and purl the purled stitches.

After decreasing on the end of a previous row remember or write down how many stitches you’ve decreased already.
Remember to keep 2 stitches for g stitch edging. Then start the row minus the stitches that have been decreased already at the end of the row

#7

I’m on the first cable section- the Row 23 decrease was fine, but now I’ll have to see how to adjust for the next decrease. Thanks for your help!

#8

For me I retyped the pattern on word so

  1. I could see it better and
  2. To mark the decreases
    I’ll try to include that part and see if it works for you.
    You’ll notice it has a number which equals 🟰 a number….the first refers to the row of the whole pattern and the second refers specifically to the row of the cable pattern that you should be working.
    Hope this helps.
    IMG_4067
    IMG_40672734×3554 2.55 MB
3 Likes
#9

What an incredibly helpful group this is! Thank you all :slight_smile:

3 Likes
#10

And for everyone who is knitting this pattern, here’s a reply I received from West Yarmouth Spinners:

The decreases are always worked at the end of a right side row.

You can follow the written pattern on right side rows to the last 3sts, then decrease

Your wrong side rows are knitting the knit sts and purling the purl sts as the present themselves on the row.

1 Like
#11

Thanks for sharing the response from the designers, I don’t make shawls myself but this could be a great help to another knitter in the future.
You’re right this is a helpful group, we hope you’ll stick around now you’ve found it. We like seeing what every one is working on if you like sharing pics.