Technique - Short Rows

 

how to work yarnover short rows

In stockinette stitch

On the right side, knit to the point where the short row begins. Turn work.

With the wrong side now facing, bring yarn to the back between needles and purl the next stitch so that yarn travels up and over the RH needle, creating a yarnover beside the stitch just worked. You are now ready to purl back along your short row.

On the wrong side, purl to the point where the short row begins. Turn work.

With the right side now facing, bring yarn to the front between needles and knit the next stitch so that the yarn travels up and over the RH needle, creating a yarnover beside the stitch just worked. You are now ready to knit back along your short row. Continue working short rows as specified in your pattern.

After completing your short rows, each yarnover made at a turn is decreased with the stitch that follows the gap created by the turn.

  

On the right side, knit to the yarnover, then k2tog the yarnover with the stitch after gap. Repeat for each yarnover as you work to the end of the row.

 

On the wrong side, purl to the yarnover, then ssp the yarnover with the stitch after gap. Repeat for each yarnover as you work to the end of the row. 

Working in a stitch pattern

For both right side and wrong side rows, continuing in stitch pattern when possible, work to the point where the short row begins. Turn work.

If the first stitch is a knit stitch, a brk, or a sl 1 or sl1yo that resembles the V of a knit stitch, bring yarn to the front between needles, then work the stitch, forming the yarnover beside it.

If the first stitch is a purl stitch, a brp, or a sl 1 or sl1yo that resembles the ridge of a purl stitch, bring yarn to the back between needles, then work the stitch, forming the yarnover beside it.

After completing your short rows, each yarnover is decreased with the stitch that follows the gap created by the turn. The decrease used to close the gaps will make these short rows invisible on the right side, regardless of whether they are knit stitches or purls.

On the right side, work each yarnover together with the stitch after gap, using k2tog if a knit stitch or p2tog if a purl.

On the wrong side, work each yarnover together with the stitch after gap, using ssk if a knit stitch or ssp if a purl.

German Short Rows

The steps

1. (Right side) Work to the stitch specified in your pattern
2. Turn the work so the wrong side is facing
3. (Wrong side) Slip the stitch from the left needle to the right needle purlwise with yarn in front
4. Pull the yarn to the back of the work over top of the right needle. This will distort the stitch, making it look as if there are 2 stitches instead of 1.
5. Bring the yarn to the front between the needles to begin purling, or leave at the back if the next stitch is knit
6. Keeping a tighter tension than usual for the first few stitches work to the stitch specified in your pattern
7. Turn the work so the right side is facing
8. (Right side) Bring the yarn to the front between the needles
9. Slip the stitch from the left needle to the right needle purlwise with the yarn in front
10. Pull the yarn to the back of the work over top of the right needle. This will distort the stitch making it look as if there are 2 stitches instead of 1.

Picking up the turned/doubled stitches:

1. Work to the doubled stitch
2. Work the the doubled stitch as if it were one (like a knit 2 together, or purl 2 together, depending on the stitch)

Substituting German Short Rows for wrap & turn instructions:

When substituting German short rows for a classic wrap & turn (w&t) you just want to remember that a wrapped stitch in the w&t version is the same as the ‘turned’ or ‘doubled’ stitch in German short rows.

An example:

Instruction: knit to 3 sts before wrapped st, w&t

What you want to do for German short rows is to knit to 3 sts before the last turned stitch, work 1 more stitch and turn your work etc.