How to Short Row Knitting Stitches

Short row knitting is used to insert extra rows invisibly in the middle of the knitting. This can be helpful when shaping a neckline or adding extra rows in the bust areas for busty women. Short row knitting can also be used to create a more polished neckline. The short row style knitting is also popular when making any geometric style shapes from clothing to afghans. In geometric shapes the location of the short rowing is what determines the shapes. You can accomplish short row knitting using two methods: the short row knit with a wrap or the short row knit with a yarn over.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

With a Wrap

1. Insert the needle and knit to where you want to insert more rows and turn.

2. Put the working yarn in front of the needle like you would if you were going to either knit that stitch or purl that stitch.

3. Slip the stitch from the right needle to the other needle and place the working yarn toward the back.

4. Take that same stitch that is now on the left needle and slip it back to the right hand needle, moving the yarn to the front. Then either purl or knit that stitch. To hide the loop, insert the needle under the wrap and under the stitch. Knit or purl them together as one stitch. If you hide the stitch, the loop with not be visible on the right side of the work, only from the wrong side.

Using the Yarn Over Method

5. Knit to the turning point and turn the knitting around.Wrap the yarn around the right hand needle and purl your way back to the point where you turned.

6. Turn knitting around to the right side and wrap the yarn around the right needle once again. Continue to knit as you where until you come to the first yarn over.

7. Knit two together, the yarn over with the first unworked stitch on the other side of the gap. The yarn over should fall behind the other stitch and close the gap.

8. Knit around until you come to the stitch before the second gap and slip the next stitch knit wise. Slip the yarn over knit wise and insert the left needle into both stitches and knit them together. This is an SSK and it will close the gap and place the yarn over behind the stitch.