Playing with String: Knitting Software

Yes, you read correctly, I'm looking into knitting software. There's a really neat graphing program offered by www.KnitFoundry.com called Knit Visualizer. I downloaded the demo and am trying it out to see how I like it. My "simple" attempt at graphing is the diamond brocade pattern I decided to use on my "brown socks" (now my "brown purl-brocade socks").

Between the two dark horizontal bars is stitch pattern #28 from the Vogue Knitting Stitchionary #1, Knit & Purl. I've been looking through my stitchionaries and patters for a simple pattern repeat that I could use on my brown socks to add some visual (and knitterly) interest to the top of the feet without detracting from the color, which is my main attraction to this yarn along with the soft feel.
I decided this one would do well. It's a 12 + 5 stitch repeat, so I have enough stitches on my 35 stitch top for two repeats.

Back to the software. I came across this Knit Visualizer software by doing a search on the Ravelry groups for one on cables, celtic cables, braids, etc. The sticker price of the program...is a bit prohibitive. I added the windows version on CD to my TheThingsIWant wish list but.... I get the feeling that I'll be buying it for myself eventually, I doubt anyone else would want to spend that much money on me for a single item for no special occassion.

So far I like it, I would like it more if I had a desk set up for my computer where I could hook my mouse up but I'm okay with it just on my touchpad.

I've been trying all last week and the majority of this weekend to reverse-engineer the main celtic cable from the St. Brigid sweater. I LOVE that cable pattern. But I have almost zero chance of getting my hands on the Aran Knits book by Alice Starmore.

From what I've read she seems to be a bit of a snob about her patterns. She must know that the knitting world WILL substitute other yarns instead of her proprietary expensive collection, so she will not republish the pattern books. She's not even including a copy of the pattern with the yarn kit, just says on the website that you must have a copy of the book in order to make the sweater. Well I guess there will always be other snobs out there that will pay the outrageous amounts she asking for her scratchy yarn and out-of-print book. I am not one of them. Hence my attempt to reverse-engineer the cable pattern.

I think I'm close, but, I've never charted an unknown cable pattern before. I have no experience to draw on to tell me that when you decrease from 5 stitches down to 1 how you mark that down and when the "no stitch" section should come to an end. I'm stuck at the top and bottom points of the swirl.