"work 16 rows even"??

[selavy]

Hi- I'm knitting the cabled bolero from last year's edition of Vogue Knitting. I've gotten to the first sleeve and have picked up the required number of stitches (112 sts). However, I've come across the following instructions that I find very puzzling:

"Work 16 rows even, working cable every 10th row as established. Work dec row as foll:
K1 *k1, k2, p2, k2, p2, k1, ssk, p2, k2tog, k1, p2,k2,p2, k1; rep from *4 times more, k1- 102 sts."

Note- the basic pattern has 30 rows, with a cable at rows 11 and 21.

My questions: what does "work 16 rows even" mean? Where does the dec row come in? Judging from the photo, this section should be about 4" long have at least two cables before it turns into k2,p2 for the rest of the sleeve.

Any help would be very appreciated!!! Thanks.

[Ingrid]

Work 16 rows without any decreases, putting in the cables in the appropriate spots. THEN begin the decrease rows.

[DorothyDot]

Yes, Ingrid is right. [As usual!] You knit/purl as required for the pattern for 16 rows. No increases. No decreases. Just working a straight piece for 16 rows.

Evidently you are cabling in your basic pattern stitch. When the pattern says to continue working your cable every 10th row [or whatever works with the project's pattern stitch that you've already been doing], it means to follow that pattern stitch with no changes.

Okay, you've done those 16 rows with your cables done just perfect. This is where you work your decrease row. Not before.

Dot