How to read a cable pattern

#1

Hi, fairly beginner level knitter here.
I have knitted cable before, but I’m doing something wrong in this pattern for a cowl and would appreciate some help.

Foundation row:K4,(K1,P1)twice.P4,K11,Rep from once more.(K1,P1)twice,P4,K4
Proceed in pat as follows:
1st:K1,K1below.Work 1st row cable panel(K1below,P2)twice.K1below.Rep fromonce more. Work 1st row cable panel.K1below.K1.
2nd:K2.(Work 2nd row cable panel.K7)twice.Work 2nd row cable panel.K2.
These 2 rows form pat. Cable panel pat is now in position.

Keeping cont of cable panel pat, cont in pat etc.

So, I do the foundation row. The first and second rows, where it says “1st row cable panel” and “2nd row cable panel” I follow the 1st & 2nd rows in the cable panel (12 stitches) and just follow the instructions.
Next, I repeat these 2 rows(the ones after the foundation row)
For the next row, I’ve been following the 5th cable pattern row but with 54 stitches cast on and 12 stitches for the cable pattern there are stitches left over.

Writing this out, a little spark has gone on, and maybe I’m just meant to keep repeating the 2 rows after the foundation row and where it says cable panel insert the 1st, 2nd , 3rd rows etc. So
for the 5th row where I’ve just been doing the cable panel and getting left over stitches, I should follow the 1st row of the 2 pattern rows and insert 5th row of the cable panel?

My head hurts.

#2

Welcome to KnittingHelp!
Yes, your little spark is exactly right. It may help to put in markers on either side of the cable panels. The rows 1 and 2 are repeated and the cable panel rows continue 1-24. Then the cable panel probably repeats. Use a row counter or paper and pencil to keep track of where you are in the cable panel.
This gets easier after a few rows because the pattern easier to see in your knit fabric.

Can you help us out please and delete the instructions for the cable pattern section? We don’t really need it and it will help us avoid copyright problems.

#3

thanks for confirming! I was sick of searching for another pattern as this was the one I wanted to do.
Sorry about posting the cable panel section - the pattern was a free one, though I guess I didn’t credit the source.

#4

Good luck with it and many thanks for the edit. Hope it goes smoothly from now on but if there are any problems, come back and ask. We’d love to see a photo of the finished project.