How To Knit Short Rows {Wrap and Turn}
THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS THAT SUPPORT HANDY LITTLE ME CONTENT AND FREE PATTERNS.In this post, you will learn how to knit short rows using the wrap and turn method.
Short rows are used to create extra fabric in your knitting, which is great for shaping.
The extra rows you create look like triangles or wedges.

Image Source – Copyright to Starz.com
A short row is created by knitting so far along your row, then wrapping a stitch, turning the work, wrapping again, and continuing to knit.
When you wrap the yarn around the stitch, it prevents holes from appearing in the short rows, so your extra rows in the shaping flow naturally within the fabric you are creating.
Take a look below at the step-by-step tutorial and watch the video in this post.
You can also watch the video on my YouTube channel here.
How To Knit Short Rows – Wrap and Turn
- Knit to where you need to wrap and turn
Keep your yarn at the back of the work.
- Bring the yarn to the front
Bring the working yarn to the front of the work.
- Slip the next stitch purlwise
keeping the yarn in the front, slip the next stitch purlwise from the left-hand needle over onto the right-hand needle.
- You will now have the slipped stitch on the RHN
The slipped stitch will now be on the right-hand needle.
- Take the working yarn over the slipped stitch to the back of the work
Bring the working yarn around the slipped stitch at the front and take it to the back of the work.
- Turn the work
You have to now turn the work so that the back of the piece is facing you. The working yarn will look like this in the image below.
- Slip the stitch
Now you will need to slip that stitch back onto the right-hand needle purlwise.
- The slipped stitch and the yarn
The slipped stitch will now be on the right-hand needle.
- Move the yarn to the back of the loop
Take the working yarn around the slipped stitch so that it is at the back of the work.
- Knit the next stitch
Once your yarn is at the back of the work, go ahead and knit the next stitch. Then you can continue to work that row. You can see the stitch in the photo below where the yarn has been wrapped.
Short Row FAQs
When you knit short rows this means that you are not working a full row, you are going to wrap and turn – turning the work to continue to kit, thus creating a shorter row. This is for shaping.
You can view the step by step photo tutorial above or watch the video on my YouTube channel here.
You knit a short row without any holes by wrapping and turning. This means that you will wrap the yarn over the stitch you slipped and then turn to continue to knit. This will mean the row will have no holes in it.
Knitting Lessons
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