I often get asked questions about patterns where the answer involves some kind of short row knitting. Short rows can be used in all kinds of different circumstances including the creation of sideways knitted ruffles, smooth lines at the tops of shoulders, sock toes and creating extra length in the back or bust of a garment where necessary. Let's look at a couple of methods of creating them. First of all take some plain yarn and some suitable needles for garter or stocking stitch, and cast on 20 stitches for your practice piece.

• Work four rows garter stitch (every row knit). Note - these four rows are NOT repeated.
• Next Row:K 10 stitches, turn, knit back across these 10 stitches.
• Now work right across all 20 stitches.
• Work another knit row across all 20 stitches.
• Repeat the short rows and two knit rows several times.

You can see that what you are doing is inserting two shorter rows every couple of rows, which causes one side of the knitting to ruffle. This is a very basic method of short rowing which will leave small holes at the point of each turn, but it does work well.

Next let's look at a slightly more involved method of short rowing. Work a few rows of Stocking Stitch first on your sample piece (one row knit, one row purl).

• Next row:Knit 15 stitches, yarn forward as if to purl, slip the next stitch, yarn back as if to knit, turn the knitting.
• Next row:Slip the 1^st stitch on the left hand needle (the one you are wrapping), purl 10 stitches, yarn back as if to knit, slip the next stitch, yarn forward as if to purl, turn the work.
• Next row:Knit across to the wrapped stitch, then knit the slipped stitch and the yarn wrapped around it together to make one stitch. Continue across to the end of the row.
• Next Row:Purl across to the wrapped stitch, purl the wrapped stitch and the yarn wrapped around it together to make one stitch. Continue across to the end of the row.

This second method is the one you can use to insert extra rows to prevent a sweater from riding up. If you insert two rows about three inches up the work, about half way up the back, and another two at the armholes, this will prevent the sweater from gathering into the small of the back and the annoying riding up that you get in many sweaters where the back is the same length as the front. This technique is known as Wrap and Turn.

You can also work short rows across shaped shoulders instead of casting off in a series of little bumps. When the short rows have been worked, just knit right across the shoulder, working the wrapped stitches as described above and casting off. This makes a beautiful smooth line which will sew up very evenly.

More information about short row knitting can be found in Maggie Righetti's wonderful books Knitting in Plain English and Sweater Design in Plain English, both of which can be purchased using these links to Amazon.com and both of which would make excellent additions to your bookshelf as they contain a lot of invaluable information which I have seen nowhere else. For practice in short rowing techniques I recommend Wendy Johnson's wonderful Generic Sock Pattern which provides detailed instructions on short row toes. A magical scarf pattern can be found in Lucy Neatby's Sea Lettuce Scarf which spirals around in a most satisfying manner.

Until next time, happy knitting!