Short Rows Tutorial

Short Rows tend to strike fear into the hearts of the uninitiated, but, like all knitting, there's really nothing so mysterious about it.

Short Rows are used to create triangles or wedges within your knitting. They shape everything from bust darts to ear flaps. Basically, a Short Row is just that: a row that you don't knit to the end of the needle. Instead, you work part of the way across the row, do something called a "wrap and turn", and then work back the other way, sometimes to the end and sometimes to another wrap and turn.

Wrap and Turn on the Knit Side

Keeping the yarn in back, slip the next stitch purlwise from the left needle to the right needle.

Bring the yarn forward as if to purl.

Slip the stitch from the right needle back to the left needle.

Bring the yarn to the back of the work as if to knit.

Turn the work so the purl side is facing you, ready to purl.

Wrap and Turn on the Purl Side

Keeping the yarn in front, slip the next stitch purlwise from the left needle to the right needle.

Bring the yarn back as if to knit.

Slip the stitch from the right needle back to the left needle.

Bring the yarn to the front of the work as if to purl.

Turn the work so the knit side is facing you, ready to knit. 

Once you've completed your Short Rows, you'll notice gaps in the knitting where you wrapped the stitches. To rectify this, you work across the entire row, closing the gaps by "picking up the wrapped stitches". 

Picking up the Wrapped Stitch on the Knit Side

Pick up the wrap with the right needle from front to back.

Then insert the right needle into the stitch that is wrapped.

Knit the wrap and the stitch together.

Picking up the Wrapped Stitch on the Purl Side 

Pick up the wrap with the right needle from back to front.

Place the wrap onto the left needle. 

Purl together the wrap and the stitch that is wrapped.

That's Short Rows! Not so scary! 

Comments

[Barbara]

Very clear pics and directions--thanks! However, the pattern I'm working on is in garter stitch. I've read some comments that indicate the w& t method will give the best results, but where does the yarn end up if you aren't going to purl on the reverse side? It needs to be on the back, not the front; does this require another wrap?

[kaitlyn]

Hi,
I'm working on the Short Row Sweater - so excited! But, I'm a bit confused still. If starting on the RS, the stitch that you W + T on, do you count that as part of the WS stitches (so, part of the P36)?
ie) if the pattern reads:
RS: K171, wrap and turn (<--- does this stitch count as part of P36?)
WS: P36, wrap and turn

Thanks for any guidance!

[purl bee]

Hi Kaltlyn, so happy to hear you are enjoying the Short Row Sweater. the wrap and turn does not count as part of the next row's stitch count. Hope this helps. -Laura

[purl bee]

Barbara. Hello. Short Rows in garter are super similar to those in stockinette. Here is the best thing to think of when you are about to wrap and turn... where do I want the yarn to end up after I have wrapped and turned?

If you are knitting, and your yarn is in the back and you'd like to wrap the next stitch... slip the next stitch from the left to the right, bring your yarn to the front, slip that same stitch from the right to the left and then turn your work.

Hope this helps Barbara. If I get a chance, I will post a garter stitch short row tutorial. -Laura

[Keen_wah]

Hello! Thank you so much for all of your tutorials, they are amazing!! I do have a question in regards to the bandana cowl. Im having trouble understanding rows 5 - 8... I understand how to do the actual wrap and turn but for example, in row 5 I knit 42 then I do the wrap and turn...row 6 says purl 3 then wrap and turn then it goes to row 7..... Do I only do those few stitches in row 6 or do I continue the 42 stitches? When I knit the wrapped stitch do I continue with the entire row and then come back to the wrapped stitch? My apologies if I am wayyyy confusing. Hope to hear from you soon :)

[purl bee]

Hi Kareena,
You just do those few stitches. Then after you wrap, you turn your work and will be facing the other side of the fabric. Do not continue for the entire row.

The idea of short rows is to work a portion of the stitches, back and forth, back and forth with out working the entire row.
I hope this helps!
Keep us posted.
Laura

[vikki]

Thanks for such a clear tutorial! Im knitting a gorgeous cabled shawl using short rows and was really worried about holes forming when I come to knit the wrapped stitches, but now I know what to do!

[Lisa Ohland]

I am kind of new to knitting... I get how to do the wrap and turn, but once I have done it however...":turn the work so the knit side is facing you, ready to knit..." and then what, knit to the end of the row ?? I am on row 5 of the Bandana Cowl, but I am very confused about what row 6 means... guess I need to find someone who knows how to do this, because it makes no sense to me at all. Any suggestions ?

[purl bee]

Hi Lisa-

Short rows can definitely be a bit tricky at first! For the Bandana Cowl pattern after you wrap and turn you won't be knitting to the end of the row, you'll only be working until you come to the previously wrapped stitch (or in the case of row 6, which is a setup row, you're only purling 3 stitched before wrapping and turning the work again). I think about it like I'm building an inverted pyramid, with every row being just a stitch longer than the row before!

Thanks for the great question! Keep us posted on your progress!
Erin

[Joan]

I have mastered short rows but after making 4 bandana cowls I looked again at the photos & find that my decreases start much closer to the first garter stitches, which makes the whole cowl shorter... I don't think I understand the "knit 1" after the w & t?
Did not do that? I simply continued across to the previous w & t picked up the wrap & did next w & t & so forth. The shape is shorter & more bowed.... Why is yours longer in the body before the decreases?
Help... Although I am wearing the ones I've made ... I would really like to get this down correctly.
Thanx, joan

[Joan Aikens]

After re reading the pattern & checking the photos given, I realize I'm not doing the knit 1 after I pick up the previous wrap & before I w & t again.... Ripped out. & find I have a much wider & longer cowl.... Like yours! Wal-ah finally, after making 4-5 wrong, I did it! Love the pattern & am making gifts for Xmas presents for men & women on my list! Thanks so much!
Joan from PA

[Lynn]

I just finished a bandana cowl with short rows and I could not have done it without your directions on short rows. It turned out Perfect!!! I am such a visual person and your directions were perfect! Thank you so much!!!

[Ann]

I am struggling with the bandana cowl....I will now take my knitting and follow the pictures.....I know short rows, but the wrap part goofed me up...thus I put it away last night....attempt again..! Thanks in advance and hope to get this right...Love the cowl...

[Julie]

I have a question ! I am making the Aviatrix hat by Justine Turner. This is my second one, and just want to make sure I am picking up my W & T's correctly.
Your tutorial is great, by the way !!! I know how to pick them up when on a Knit Row or a Purl Row......
I am working stockinette up until my last row of the "section".
Row 10 is purled (last row to make a W & T), Row 11 is knitted to the end and picking up the last 2 W & T's in that direction.
Row 12 (last row in section) is ALSO Knitted, making a ridge on right side.
On this last row, can you explain how to pick up those W & T's ?

This is what I've been doing: I knit across and when I get to the W & T, I lift it as if to pick up a purled W&T and knit it, still having yarn in back. It looks okay from the other side.
Is this correct ?
Thank You !!!

[purl bee]

Hi Julie...
If you are satisfied with how it looks... then it's ok! The beauty of knitting is that there are several ways to accomplish the same thing. I have actually never worked short rows in garter before, which is essentially what is happening there in that last row. But again, if you like how it looks... go with it!

Thanks for the kind words about the tutorial!
Laura

[Tim]

Holy COW, that's EASY!!!!!

I've been knitting since July -- this is one of the first cowl patterns I found, but I was afraid of the short rows.

Purchased some really nice merino at my LYS this evening and decided to take the plunge.

I LIKE it!

[Mariana]

This is definitely helpful, I'm knitting my first pair of toe-up socks and the toe is looking great. Just out of curiosity though, what are the wraps for??? I understand the short rows now, and what they create, but not what the effect of wraps is...
Thanks! :)

[purl bee]

Hi Mariana,

The wraps are not just there to be difficult, they actually prevent holes in your finished knitting, so keep them up!

Thanks for asking!

Whitney

[Vickie]

Thank you so much for your clear instructions and excellent photos.

The wrap and turn has been driving me crazy. I've been making a top down sweater and wanted to use short rows along the back. I managed to get the knit side correct however the purl side wasn't so great. I created a big hole and I knew that I was missing something.

Now I think I will be able to continue and I have bookmarked this wonderful page.

Thanks again
Sincerely
Vickie