Just joined this group and looking for help as I am doing a n Icelandic sweater.
Short row shaping is the instruction and I haven’t done that before.
This forum looks like just the place to get help with that.
Just joined this group and looking for help as I am doing a n Icelandic sweater.
Short row shaping is the instruction and I haven’t done that before.
This forum looks like just the place to get help with that.
Yes, it is! Please tell us the name of your pattern and designer. You can quote the relevant lines of the pattern, or take a photo of the page(s). Don’t post the whole thing, to respect designer copyright.
Welcome to KH!
Short rows are very helpful for shaping a sweater, usually at the back of the neck but sometimes other places as well. You add extra rows in one part of the sweater by knitting back and forth in that area.
There are different techniques for working short rows to avoid a hole when you turn. Wrap and turn was the classic method but there are some simpler ways of working short rows: German short rows, Japanese, shadow wraps and yarn over short rows for instance.
Here’s a video for German short rows which are quite popular.
What method does your pattern call for?
Hi, the pattern is Skrida knitted on very big 15mm needles. It is just 1 colour lopi wool for simplicity (I thought!)
The instruction is to work back and forth short row shaping at the back. W&t . Place marker in centre st front. Work until 2 sts from centre left side, w&t. Work until 2sts from centre right side, w&t work short row shaping for 4 rows turning 1 st further from the centre stitch each time. At same time continue raglan shaping as set.
I am supposed to end with 10 stitches fewer by the end of this but the raglan shaping looses 8 stitches each row so I am very confused - does the SRS loose stitches or does it perform another function? Also do I do this shaping at the front as well as back?
Thank you so much for looking at this for me.
The short row shaping raises the back neck for a more comfortable fit. You’ll be working back and forth over sts from near the left of center to near the right of center. These short rows won’t decrease or increase sts. They’ll only be worked across the back (slightly working into the front sts).
I’m not sure why you’re losing 10sts but it may become clearer as you work the rows. A decrease of 8sts at the 4 raglan markers makes sense. It may be that the last short row doesn’t cross the front raglans so there are only decreases at the back raglans but that’s a guess.
Here’s a video for wrap & turn short rows that may help.
You might want to practice this on a swatch just to make sure you’ve got it.
Thank you so much. That makes much more sense now.
My husband is happy too as he says he looks forward to seeing it finished ![]()
Hi again I’m now clearer about the raglan reduction which will only reduce at the back and I can cope with the wrap and turn. However I still don’t get where I put the centre marker for the shaping. Do I just work the back stitches or am I still knitting all round. Are the back and forth rows only at the back of the sweater and so is the centre marker for the wrap and turn the centre of the back of the sweater.
Thanks
In your earlier post you mentioned that the marker is at center front. You’ll be knitting from the beginning of round marker (wherever that is) around to the front then turning to purl back around to a few sts short of the center front on the other side. It may help to put a marker at the wrapped stitch when you turn so that it’s easier to recognize when you come around next time.
Here’s a diagram of what it will look like (not to scale).
You won’t be knitting all the way around but turning just short of the center front. For each set of short rows, you’ll turn a few sts farther from that center line.