Expert: Bea Harrell - 5/18/2008

Question
QUESTION: First, thank you!

My difficulty is with a pattern from the Red Heart Plush Simply Plushious booklet.  In working on the crop top pattern, I've reached a complete impasse.  I completed the BACK with no problem.  
The FRONT is where i encountered a problem.  I think it is just the wording, but it may be lack of understanding because I am relativly new to crochet.

I will relate the few lines before my difficulty first and the cable directions in case of variation from pattern to pattern.

CABLE
sk next sc, 3 dc, , yo, insert hook from fron tto back in he skipped sc and draw u a lp to height of the 3 dc, [yo and pull through 2 lps on hook] twice.

Shape right Neck--Next Row (WS): Ch3 sk first sc, dc in next sc, [work cable] 8 times, place marker in next st; turn leaving rem sts unworked - 34sts.

Neck Decrease Row: ch 1, sc3tog (neck  edge), sc in each rem st across; turn - 32 sts.

Next Row: Ch 1, sc in each st across; turn.

Next Row: ch 3, dc in next sc, [work cable] 7 times, dc in each of last 2 sc; turn.
Work 3 rows even in established pat. Rep Neck Decrease Row twice more - 28 sts.

This last line is confusing me. What established pattern?  Does it mean to repeat twice from the Neck Decrease row? If the previous row were not a cable row i would assume it meant repeat that row 3 times.  I can't seem to figure how to work it out that i will begin the next line doing six cables.

Next Row (RS): ch 3, dc in next sc,[work cable] 6 times, dc in each of last 2 sc; turn.

Please help!

ANSWER: Hey,Jessica!  I think your assumption is right about repeating the previous row 3 times. The reason is because it says to work the rows even, which means you should still end up with 28 stitches, at the end of the 3rd repeat, as you'll be matching stitch for stitch. Then you'll do the neck decrease 2 more times. This should set you up to do the six cables on the next row. The pattern is worded badly, and so this is just an educated guess, but that's the way I'd try it! I can see that the neck decrease rows are responsible for decreasing the number of cable repeats in the following row, so if you just work the '7 cable row' even 3 times, the stitches should remain the same. Give it a try, and see if we're right! Should you need help again just E me again!

Best Wishes,  Bea

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: hello again Bea!

I'm beginning to think heck for me may be an eternity stuck in a room with a wicked pattern! <grin>

I did try your suggestion.  The only problem is it appears to throw off the pattern of the top when i do this.  This is  the front of a snug v neck sweater/pullover.  The pattern difference is just to obvious for the instructions to mean to repeat the cable row.  

From the waist up it is two single  crochet rows then cable,  two single crochet then cable.  Allowing the cable to alternate left to right, then right to left.  Also leaving a visible solid/cable pattern for the eye.

Repeating the cable without the inter-spacing sc rows makes a glaring difference in the bust area of the sweater. Any other ideas?

Please don't give up on me : )
And thank you so much all ready.

Answer
Hey, Jess!  
 Now, I think I get it!  The instructions say to work even in the established pattern, and you just told me what the established pattern is!
2 rows of sc, and a cable row. That's 3 rows.  So,if you know where you are in the pattern,maybe you should just repeat the pattern as you have been. In other words, from where you are now,can you tell if the 2 sc rows come next? If so, Then maybe it's the row after the neck decrease row *ch 1,sc in each st across,turn* repeat the row, then do the 7 cable row. Then the decrease row,twice. This requires some stitch counting, to see if you're still on track! I sure hope this works! Please let me know.

Best,  Bea