KW Summer Sweater KAL / Perfect Short Rows, Part 1

Are you enjoying our Summer Sweater Knit A Long? We hope so! Today’s post is another Tip + Trick, dedicated to teaching you how to work perfect, nearly invisible short rows. Short row shaping is used often in sweaters – especially those knit in the round – most commonly to raise the back neck, create a sleeve cap, or in the case of Roma, lower the back hem to create the look of a shirt-tail. When done properly, short-rows are nearly invisible from the right side of the work.

I’ve broken this post into two parts, this first part is the wrapping portion of the short rows. Next, I’ll show you how to pick up and hide the wraps.

PART ONE: WRAP + TURN (W+T) ON THE RIGHT SIDE:
IN PRACTICE: For my Roma, I’ve worked the hem, the increases to set-up for the body. For Row 1 of my short row shaping, I knit the number of stitches as specified in the pattern, and am about to work a “W+T” on the right side of the work.

STEP 1 / With the right side facing, bring the yarn to the front, in-between the needles. Slide the last stitch on the left hand needle to the right hand needle as if to purl.

STEP 2 / Bring the working yarn in-between the needles to the back of the work. Slip the wrapped stitch back onto the left hand needle as if to purl.

STEP 3 / Turn the work over in preparation to work a wrong side row. The wrapped stitch is now on your right hand needle.

STEP 4 / Continue working as set, wrapping the number of stitches as dictated in the pattern.

Wrap and Turn (W+T) on the Wrong Side:

STEP 1 / With wrong side facing, bring the yarn to the back, in-between the needles. Slide the last stitch on the left hand needle to the right hand needle as if to purl.

STEP 2 / Bring the working yarn in-between the needles to the front of work. Slip the wrapped stitch back onto the left hand needle as if to purl.

STEP 3 / Turn the work over in preparation to work a right side row. The wrapped stitch is now on your right hand needle.

STEP 4 / Continue working as set, wrapping the number of stitches as dictated in the pattern.

And that’s it! Come back tomorrow, when I’ll show you how to pick up the wraps and knit them together with the stitches they wrapped. See you then!