Caroline Tank, decrease

[Christinechrstms1]

Ok now I am not sure where the rest of the decreases occur. It says to decrease 1st at center of cable. Where do I do the next 2 decreases? From what I see I do 4 rows of the pattern with 3 decreases in each row? What would you suggest for the other decreases?



http://www.berroco.com/200/200_caroline.html

Next Row (RS): Bind off 3(4-5-7-9-11) sts, decreasing 1 st in center of cable, work to end. Rep this row 3 times more – 46(46-47-47-47-48) sts. Sl these sts onto holder for back collar.

[suzeeq]

You BO stitches, then in the first cable, dec 1 stitch, 4 times meaning over 4 RS row; there's not 3 decreased sts in each row, just 1 dec and the bound off sts.

At that point you don't need to do the cross stitches, so just knit them. If there's still 8 sts in the cable area, just k3, k2tog (or ssk) k3. The next RS row, k2, dec, k2, and so on.

[Christinechrstms1]

I am sorry, I am still not getting what you mean.
Right now I have 58 stitches left. For some reason I still can't get it straight in my head. Can you explain it another way, if possible please?

[suzeeq]

BO however many sts for your size (3, 4, ?) then when you get to the sts that make up the cable k3, dec 1, k3 and work across to the end of the row. Turn and BO X sts, when you come to the purl sts that are in the cable section p3, p2tog, p3 and finish the row. Next row, BO your sts, and by now the first cable is probably bound off, when you get to the next one, k3, dec, k3 and work to the end of the row. Turn and on the WS, BO sts, work to the cable stitches, p3 p2tog, p3. That's actually 4 rows and you should be done with binding off - put the remaining stitches on a holder and you're done with the back for now.

There's a good picture of the back neck and shoulders on this project at ravelry.

[Christinechrstms1]

The thing is I have 58 stitches left, so if I bind off 3 in each row and decrease 1 that would take me to 42 stitches when I should have 46 left

[suzeeq]

Now that I think about it though.... I think you only have to dec 1 st in the center of the cable once. They're far enough apart that they won't be at the edge after that first BO 3/dec 1 row so you'll just be doing BO sts for the other rows. Just try working the sts and you'll see where they fall and you should come out right.

[salmonmac]

I agree. When the bind off of 3 sts includes the cable, k2tog on ~center sts of the cable. This'll only happen once. When it does, you'll only be binding off two sts because the k2tog will decrease one st. That way you'll decrease 3sts times 4 and that'll take you from 58sts to 46 sts. Keep good notes on how you do this so the the other side will match.

[aprilbetty]

This is what I think:
In binding off the appropriate number of stitches, if you come to a cable, knit the two middle sts tog, and bind off as one. Otherwise the bind-off will ripple at the cables.

I forgot to say, Cute Pattern!

[Christinechrstms1]

I have 2 stitches at each end that is before the cable. That must be why the not is there about decreasing at the cable. I did read in glossary that it said when binding off at a cable to do what AprilBetty suggested but that applied to any of their patterns so when I read the instructions on the row it confused me. If I do the K2T then bind off that will definitely be 2 stitches done so I would need to only bind off once more for that row, is that correct? If so can I just do another K2T or ssk instead of binding off a stitch so I don't leave a gap?

[salmonmac]

When you k2tog, you decrease one stitch. You'll still have one stitch now on the right needle. That's why you'll need to bind off 2sts when you do the k2tog.
So you might knit one, k2tog, and then pass st one over the stitch left from the k2tog. That's 2sts decreased. Now knit one more st from the left needle and pass the first st on the right needle over the st just knit. That's 3sts decreased. Ther won't be a gap.