German Short Rows

a photo tutorial

The German Short Row is my favourite — I should say my only — short row technique.

It is simple and straightforward.

It produces neat, well nigh invisible shaping, as on a shoulder on a Ziggurat sweater, just as for an example

6_SetupRow_3645

the name

My German friends look askance at the name, German Short Row.

I’m not sure who named it, but it seems to be the common way to refer to this technique among Anglo knitters.

Incidentally, Germans call the stitch on which everything turns a Doppelmasche (a double stitch), which makes perfect sense. As we shall see.

Short-row shaping is useful for all manner of knitting – shoulders, sock heels, striped shawls, nonstriped shawls and more.

Let’s begin.

We are working in plain stocking stitch for this tutorial.

turning on a knit row (RS):

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1. Knit to last (however many) stitches.

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2. Turn (that is, flip work around to work from WS).

 

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3. Slip 1 stitch purlwise with yarn in front.

In Åsa Tricosa patterns this is symbolized by sl1^

 

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4. Bring yarn up, over and back to pull on the slipped stitch until it slides around to show two legs.

It will look like a double stitch, a Doppelmasche. We treat (and count) this as a single stitch.

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5. Bring yarn to front in order to purl next and following stitches as usual while keeping the tension
on the slipped stitch.
The arrows point to the two legs of the sl1^ just made, the Right Needle is purling the following stitch.
Work to end of row and turn to work on RS.

6. Knit to the slipped stitch (the sl1^).

Everything in the circle belongs to that slipped stitch.

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7. Knit through both legs (through the centre of the entire bundle) as if the sl1^ were a normal single stitch.

In Åsa Tricosa patterns this is symbolized by k1^

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7b. The k1^ in further progress.

Then continue knitting as usual.
That’s it. You’re done.

 turning on a purled (WS) row:

1. Purl (however many) stitches, turn (that is, flip work to work on RS).

k_yf_3055
2. (RS) The yarn is in back. Bring yarn to front.

The sl1^ is always done with yarn in front or forward – on the knit side you need to bring it forward.
On the purled side it is already in place.

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3. Slip 1 stitch purlwise with yarn in front (as before) = sl1^

 

K_pull_3069

4. Bring yarn up, around to the back and pull (downward) to make the slipped stitch slide
around to (the back) to show two legs.

 

K_next_3070

5. Knit next stitch and following stitches as usual, while keeping the tension on the slipped stitch.
Knit to the end of the row, turn (flip work to work on WS).

 

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6. (WS) Purl to the slipped stitch (to the sl1^)

 

p_thru_3077

7. Purl through both legs of the slipped stitch as if it were a normal single stitch.

In Åsa Tricosa patterns this is symbolized by p1^

 

p_thru_3081

7b. Purling through both legs (p1^) in further progress.

That’s it. Really.
Neat & simple.


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