Rowan Teddy Cardigan

I am working on a cardigan. I am ready to shape the back collar on the left front and cannot understand these instructions. The cardigan is worked in moss stitch and I have 13 stitches on the needle. Here are the instructions:
Work 2 rows
Next Row: Moss st to last 2 sts and turn.
Next Row: S1 1, moss st to end.
Rep last 4 rows 3 more times

Welcome to KH. The instructions are for short rows. You’ll work as indicated, leaving some stitches on the left needle when you turn. After the first short row you’ll turn two stitches before the last stitch of the previous row. This is how the shaping is done. Is this your pattern?

Hello
It might help to use some stitch markers or yarn loops to remind you the ‘end of row’ is moving for these few rows.
Work 2 rows
Next row, place marker 2 stitches before end of row, work to marker, turn
Next row, slip first stitch, work to end, turn

Then again
Work 2 rows
Next row, place marker 2 stitches before end of row, or before first marker, work to marker, turn
Next row, slip first stitch, work to end, turn

And so on.
Later the instruction might be to work all stitches at which point you can remove the markers to work right across the short row shaping.

Thank you! That is the pattern I am struggling through. I am still slightly confused because it seems to leave a hole when I complete the 3rd and 4th rows. Just to confirm on rows 1 and 2, I am knitting all 13 stitches, correct?

Rows 1 & 2: Work 2 rows
Next Row (row 3): Moss st to last 2 sts and turn.
Next Row (row 4): S1 1, moss st to end.
Rep last 4 rows 3 more times

Yes, on rows 1 and 2 work all 13sts. Row 3 work to the last 2sts then turn and on row 4 you slip one and work the remaining 10sts. It’s only row 3 where you work to the last 2sts before turning.
Usually the moss stitch hides the hole but if you’re working with a smother yarn than the pattern calls for, there may be a small hole. There are ways to avoid that using various short row techniques but your pattern doesn’t seem to call for any.

Does you pattern say anything about turning at a different point rather than a straight repeat of row 3 where you turn at the last 2sts?

No other instructions. I will follow the pattern and appreciate the row by row breakdown. I have never knitted anything that had instructions to shape the collar. I also have no experience with short rows. I am not sure how these techniques work hand in hand but greatly appreciate the help!

Give it a try. The short rows are a way of shaping the collar. It’ll give you a bit more fullness toward one side of the collar because there will be more rows of knitting there.
This might be a good time to put in a lifeline through the sts you have on the needle. If you make a mistake or don’t like the look, you can always rip back to that lifeline and recover those sts.


See especially 2:00min into the video.

If you haven’t done short rows before, may I suggest trying them out on a swatch first? I know it seems “boring” when you are dying to get your project finished, but the swatch gives you the freedom to make mistakes and rip back and try again.

As salmonmac said, there are various ways to do short rows. Try out the way they are written in this pattern, simply turning and going back the other way. Then wash and dry your swatch and see whether it looks okay to you or not. The small hole may become unnoticeable when the yarn plumps up/settles down from washing.

If you don’t like how it looks, there are other methods that “bridge” the turning point to minimise the hole. Feel free to come back and ask.

(I haven’t actually done short rows in moss stitch so I am not sure which short row method to suggest as an alternative.)

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