Calla Woes

UPDATE: The more I look at the pattern, the more I wonder whether this is a sizing issue. In every size except XS, one knits 12 stitches before and after the lace-and-cable pattern. With this XS, you k10 - a 2-stitch difference on either side. I appear to also have a 2-stitch deficiency. Hm. I have a hunch that's the trouble. If the last series of decreases were omitted, that would correct the visual problem. But it would also make the neckline a total of 8 stitches wider than what's called for, which seems to me like a bunch.

UPDATE UPDATE: Yes, Saun reports that this is a product of the sizing (not a mistake though). There's no way to do those decreases in the smaller sizes without eating into the cable. I think I may just omit the last increases and have a wider neckline. Thanks, Saun!

Yesterday, in preparation for a pleasant afternoon visit with Les Spiders at The Point, I burrowed down into the pile of UFOs to retrieve Calla. Calla found her way to the bottom of my knitting basket in the first place because I got stuck during the armhole decreases as to how to handle decreasing into the YO and cable pattern. Surely, though, the Spiders would know what to do. And I'll also admit to feeling a little embarassed to bring a straight piece of rectangle garter stich (aka the Drunken Baby Blanket) among such expert knitters!

First, the Spiders. Can I just tell you, that after a week of bar study, there are few things as satisfying as knitting, good conversation, and a slice of crumbly peach pie? Thanks, Spiders, for the seat at your table! I also got to hang with Jessica / Yarnmonster again and met the cute-as-a-button-or-snap Michelle of Michelle Knits, whose comments on consumer's rights my spam filter loves to eat. Oh! And the first (to my knowledge) Spider Baby was in attendance as well! I've resolved to reserve more Friday evenings post-bar study for such socializing.

Now... Calla. The first thing I did yesterday was frog the armhole decrease portion of Calla's back, thinking I had screwed something up. Then I asked Spider Sarah, who has something of a reputation for being a pattern sleuth, to help me figure out what the heck to do with the pattern while the armhole decreases were happening, since the YOs and P2togs were getting consumed by armhole. We thought we had it figured out, but then, I'm back up to the point where I was before, and the exact same problem has occurred. Here it is:

There's your illustration. You'll need it, because it's hard to verbalize the trouble. (Please ignore the splitty yarn and messy cabling!) Right now I'm at the point in the pattern where I should have 58 stitches remaining for the XS -so far so good. But now I'm stuck because decreasing 2 more stitches on each side (the next step called for - happens over 8 rows) will cut into the cable pattern. As it stands now I have 2 stitches of garter, followed by 3 purl stitches, followed by the right side of the cable. When the cable widens there won't be enough there to clear the cable. If you look at the photo from Saun's original pattern there seems to be more of an allowance of purl stitches on the side before the strap decreasing begins, as compared to mine, where the decreases threaten to eat the cables. What have I done wrong? Did I mishandle the YOs? Whaddayathink?

[p.s. - I have an e-mail out to Saun for her expert advice. I'll let you know what she says!]