Short-Row Shoulders Question

How-to Questions
1

I’m hoping someone might be able to assist me in making what would be a right shoulder for a sweater by short-row shaping. The left front shoulder, for example, would go something like this:

Begin shaping the left shoulder on a RS row as follows:

    Row 1 (RS): Knit until there are 4 stitches on the left needle, turn
    Row 2, 4, 6 (WS): purl all stitches
    Row 3: Knit until there are 8 stitches on the left needle, turn
    Row 5: Knit until there are 11 stitches on the left needle, turn
    Row 7: knit all stitches, closing the gaps as they are reached.

And this is something I have achieved with good results. However, when I go to do this on the purl rows, in other words, doing it all completely opposite for the other shoulder, I am confused with how I’m supposed to hide the wraps. I have tried a few different ways and have no idea why it looks different or if it’s supposed to look different. I know that the last row you work is to pick up the wraps, as in the aforementioned instructions for the left shoulder, but as I work back for the right shoulder, I try to pick up the stitches (and though it looks proper on the right side) it looks very different on the purl side than the way it looks on the purl side of the other shoulder. Unlike the strands of yarn on the purl side that have been “dragged to the top” to be knitted to hide the wraps on the left shoulder, the loops are very small for the right shoulder and don’t even look like they are there at all. They look very different and there are only loops on the purl side of the left shoulder.

I’m just hoping I can find out how to wrap properly. Any additional information or questions are welcomed and kindly appreciated.

Thanx.

2

The Knitter’s Book of Finishing Techniques by Nancie Wiseman has detailed instructions on doing short rows in preparation for three-needle bind off. There are three pages of instructions, including a page for the purl side, with illustrations. I wouldn’t feel right putting it all out here–copyrights and such. I will say, though, that this is a book work having for just this type of thing.

3

Thanx… I’ve been suggested that book many times; however I think it’s a shame that it is neither in my local library n’or any of the bookstores here in my city. There are a lot of things we should have here for information that we don’t and I’ve been hoping to get my hands on a copy of that book.

If anyone has any idea where I can find some nice instructions online for this, please let me know.

Thanx again.

4

The book is available on line. It’s made a world of difference in my finished products.

www.knitty.com has an article on it.

I did a Google search for ‘short row shaping for shoulders’ and several articles showed up. My computer at work won’t let me create a link, so you might want to give that a try.

5

I found instructions in another magazine for doing the purl row, if you still need it. You pick up the wrap with the right point from the front of your work and slip it on the needle, then purl the two together.