Could someone help me with Alexandra Ballerina Top?

I was doing well with my Alexandra Ballet Top this evening, until I got to the directions on the top right side of page 108, labeled "Next rnd"  (the section just above where you separate the sleeves from the body).  I now have several questions, and wonder if someone might be able to help me interpret the information in this section?

First question: It says to work chart A over the next 8 stitches beginning at row 9. Am I to understand that this is row 9, or am I starting with this as row 1 in the chart? I am comparing my yoke to the picture, and it seems as if it might be about time to do a cable, but perhaps I am jumping the gun by 8 rows.

Second and third questions: The directions say to use chart A and then chart B. I did get the correct key to Chart B from the errata page. However, am I reading it correctly that these charts are saying the cables on rows 9, 13, and 17 are different?  (In the picture, they seem the same to me.) And because there are 8 knit stitches in each front panel for the cable, what happens to the extra two if the cable (in rows 9 and 17 in the charts) only involves 6 stitches?  Knit these two stitches?

Next question: Just below this section it says to repeat these two rounds 6 (7,8,9,9) times--I am assuming the two rounds in question are the knit round mentioned at the end of the previous column and then this increase round. At least this I think is right.

Last question: There are just three cable crossing rows in the whole front of the sweater as shown? That is what I am getting from the chart, and it certainly looks that way in the picture.  But is it really correct that the second two are just four rows apart (and the second one is 4 rows after the first one)?

I would like to think my incomprehension stems from it being pretty late at night here, but I am afraid it is more than that! I am a fairly new knitter, and I guess my inexperience is showing. Any help that you can give would be most appreciated. I'd love to get more work done on this sweater this weekend.

Comments

[Marion]

Wow! These were my first cables, too, and I had all your same questions.

I think the best thing for you to do (what worked for me) is to practice the cables on a small swatch so that you can learn how to do them before you tackle the front of the sweater with its many simultaneous undertakings.

Yes, you start the chart at row 9 for the first cable, but then you work all the rows up to the top and then start back down at the bottom. Make a little grid on a sticky note so you can keep track. Yes, you knit the blank squares. This is important as it makes the coil twist work like in the picture, from the inner to the center to the outer part of the cable.

The rest will work itself out as you knit. After each cable, use a tapestry needle to string a contrasting (skinny) yarn along the needle through the stitches (and then tie it and keep knitting, leaving it in place) so that if you have to tear out a mistake it's easy to pick up all your stitches without a hassle.

Best of luck! It's a great sweater with GREAT shaping on the back and I can't wait to wear it in... January! I'm near San Diego.

Happy knitting!

[Trudi]

Thank you so much, Marion, for this information and the tip about adding yarn to the cable stitches, in case they need to be reworked. I am eager to get started again today on this. I am looking forward to seeing how things work out on the back, based on your enthusiasm about the shaping there.

[Meg]

I'm finishing the bind-off for this one now. There are many mistakes with it- and I'm pretty sure that the "new" cable B chart isn't the one from the sample either. Doesn't look right. When I got to the "this is row 9" business, I took that to mean row 9 of the chart. The pattern then instructs you to "knit" a row. Which to me means don't work the chart. But this is wrong. I have the count all screwed up, and my third and final cable series at the bottom doesn't really work out. Eh.
Oh- the decreases are effed up as well. You knit to within 3 of the marker, not one.

[Meg]

I'm finishing the bind-off for this one now. There are many mistakes with it- and I'm pretty sure that the "new" cable B chart isn't the one from the sample either. Doesn't look right. When I got to the "this is row 9" business, I took that to mean row 9 of the chart. The pattern then instructs you to "knit" a row. Which to me means don't work the chart. But this is wrong. I have the count all screwed up, and my third and final cable series at the bottom doesn't really work out. Eh.
Oh- the decreases are effed up as well. You knit to within 3 of the marker, not one.

[Meg]

I'm finishing the bind-off for this one now. There are many mistakes with it- and I'm pretty sure that the "new" cable B chart isn't the one from the sample either. Doesn't look right. When I got to the "this is row 9" business, I took that to mean row 9 of the chart. The pattern then instructs you to "knit" a row. Which to me means don't work the chart. But this is wrong. I have the count all screwed up, and my third and final cable series at the bottom doesn't really work out. Eh.
Oh- the decreases are effed up as well. You knit to within 3 of the marker, not one.

[Meg]

I'm finishing the bind-off for this one now. There are many mistakes with it- and I'm pretty sure that the "new" cable B chart isn't the one from the sample either. Doesn't look right. When I got to the "this is row 9" business, I took that to mean row 9 of the chart. The pattern then instructs you to "knit" a row. Which to me means don't work the chart. But this is wrong. I have the count all screwed up, and my third and final cable series at the bottom doesn't really work out. Eh.
Oh- the decreases are effed up as well. You knit to within 3 of the marker, not one.