German Short Rows

GERMAN SHORT ROWS

German Short rows are an excellent method for shaping shoulders, necklines, earflaps, and on and on. This method is simple and easier to work than the Wrap & Turn method of short row shaping. If you have had trouble with short row shaping in the past, give German Short Rows a try. I think you will be pleasantly surprised!

CREATING A DOUBLE STITCH

1. WORK THE NUMBER OF STITCHES CALLED FOR ACCORDING YOUR YOUR PATTERN. TURN YOUR WORK.

2. BRING YOUR YARN TO THE FRONT

3. SLIP THE FIRST STITCH FROM YOUR LEFT HAND NEEDLE TO YOUR RIGHT HAND NEEDLE AS IF TO PURL.

4. BRING THE YARN OVER THE TOP OF THE RIGHT HAND NEEDLE TO THE BACK OF YOUR WORK. PULL TIGHT. THIS WILL CREATE A DOUBLE STITCH.

5. CONTINUE TO WORK ACCORDING TO YOUR PATTERN. KEEP TIGHTER TENSION THAN NORMAL FOR THE FIRST FEW STITCHES AFTER YOU CREATE THE DOUBLE STITCH.

RESOLVING THE DOUBLE STITCH

ONCE YOU HAVE CREATED A DOUBLE STITCH, YOU WILL NEED TO RESOLVE IT. YOU WILL NOT NEED TO DO THIS UNTIL YOUR PATTERN REQUIRES YOU TO KNIT OR PURL A DOUBLE STITCH THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY CREATED. WHEN YOU REACH YOUR DOUBLE STITCH, IT WILL LOOK SOMETHING LIKE THIS:

6. TREAT THE DOUBLE STITCH AS IF IT WERE A SINGLE STITCH. IF THE DOUBLE STITCH IS MEANT TO BE A KNIT STITCH, KNIT THROUGH BOTH LEGS OF THE DOUBLE STITCH. IF THE DOUBLE STITCH IS MEANT OT BE A PURL STITCH, PURL THROUGH BOTH LEGS OF THE DOUBLE STITCH AS IF IT WERE A SINGLE STITCH.

CONGRATULATIONS! YOU JUST WORKED GERMAN SHORT ROWS!