Confusing pattern instructions

#1

I’m working on the left side of a vest with a cable pattern down the middle, but I got stuck with the instructions for shaping the front and sides. Right now I have 44 sts.

“P2. M1P. P14. P2tog. P1. Pat to end of row.”

I got that part; it was a RS row. But then there’s this:

[B]“Keeping continuity of pat, inc 1 st at side edge, as before, on every following 12th row from previous inc twice more, AT SAME TIME, dec 1 st for front edge (before Cable Pat) on 2nd and every following alt row once more, then every following 4th row 7 times. 37 sts. Work 3 rows even.”[/B] :oo:

Is “previous inc” the M1P? Is it like:
M1P row
foll 2nd row dec 1
foll 6th row dec 1
foll 10th row dec 1
foll 12 row inc 1
etc??

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!
:pout:

#2

Yes, that would be the inc, and the decs should be placed at about the same spot on future rows, which would be 2 sts in from the edge. Do the incs every 12th row, the decs are at the other edge of the piece every other row once, then ever 4th row 7 times.

#3

That gives me 8 decs and 2 incs (since the P2tog cancels out the M1P) so I end up with only 6 fewer sts though the pattern says to go into this section with 44 and come out with 37.

Should I just dec an extra st somewhere?

#4

You’re doing the decs for shaping the neck, so the incs and decs are not supposed to be equal and the stitch number will change. There are 6 incs and 9 decs. What’s the name of the pattern or a link to it? Check that 44 is what you start with at this point (rather than 42) and that your size is supposed to end up with 37 sts instead of 39.

#5

“That gives me 8 decs and 2 incs (since the P2tog cancels out the M1P) so I end up with only 6 fewer sts though the pattern says to go into this section with 44 and come out with 37.”

I think you have 9 decreases:
1 dec on the 2nd row
1 dec on the following alt row
7 decs on the following 4th rows.
(dec 1 st for front edge (before Cable Pat) on 2nd and every following alt row once more, then every following 4th row 7 times)

so you’ll go from 44sts to 37sts.

#6

“I think you have 9 decreases:
1 dec on the 2nd row
1 dec on the following alt row”

Oh yes, I see. Thank you!