I've recently found this absolutely FANTASTIC method of knitting Short Rows and I'm so excited to share it with you if you haven't already discovered it.
I don't know if you have come across this issue; when you are knitting short Rows in the round everything is going very smoothly no matter what method you are using, until you come upon the wraps that you made on the purl side but now need to be picked up on the knit side. The wrap that is around the stitch is very tight and awkward and no matter how it's picked up leaves an unsightly disruption in your beautiful knitting that is not okay with me. I have searched HIGH AND LOW to find a solution and could not find one until now!!! Hallelujah!!!!!!
So my intentions were to use this method when knitting in the round only, since the same problem don't occur when knitting flat. But when I seen the results that this method produced I was blown away by how invisible and tidy they were that I won't be able to use any other from here on. I could go on and on about these Japanese Short Rows but let's just get on with it!!
SHORT ROW TURN ON THE KNIT SIDE
Step 1: Knit to the place where your pattern instructs you to wrap and turn. In this Raglan I'm designing, the pattern will instruct you to knit 3 stitches past the raglan marker; which in this case directly following the raglan marker that my thumb is touching is a M1L, then knit 2. So right now you are on the knit side and the working yarn is in the back of the work because it's a knit round.
Step 2: Turn the work around. You are now looking at the purl side and the working yarn is in the front.
Step 3: Place the working yarn over the right hand needle.
Step 4: Wrap the yarn all the way around the needle so that the working yarn is now in front again.
Step 5: Slip the next stitch that's on your left hand needle over to the right hand needle with the wrap around you just did. Slip the stitch purlwise.
Step 6: Place a marker to indicate the Short Row turn. You are now ready to purl to where your pattern indicates to make the next Short Row turn which will be made on the purl side this time.
SHORT ROW TURN ON THE PURL SIDE
Step 1: You have reached where your pattern instructs you to make a Short row turn.
Step 2: Turn your work around. The yarn is in the back and the knit side is now facing you.
Step 3: Wrap the yarn all the way around the right hand needle so that the yarn is in the back again.
Step 4: Slip the next stitch that's on the left hand needle over to the right hand needle. Again, be sure not to twist the stitch therefore slipping it purlwise.
Step 5: Place a marker to indicate the Short row turn. The yarn is in the back and you are ready to knit again.
RESOLVING SHORT ROW TURN ON THE KNIT SIDE
Step 1: The pattern will instruct you to knit to the marker that indicates the first Short Row turn that was made, and resolve it.
Step 2: Remove the marker and knit the next stitch.
Step 3: Now you are left with this wonky looking situation which I will call "the wrap around".
Step 4: Knit the next stitch on your left hand needle together with the wrap around as a normal knit 2 together. That's it! The stitch is resolved!
RESOLVING SHORT ROW TURN ON THE PURL SIDE
Step 1: You have purled to the marker that indicates the last Short Row turn made.
Step 2: Remove the marker and purl the next stitch.
Step 3: One again you are left with this wonky situation. The technique for the purl side is a little different than for the knit side.
Step 4: Slip the stitch by inserting the tip of your right hand needle in the back of the loop.
Step 5: Slip the next stitch as if to knit.
Step 6: Place the 2 slipped stitches back to the left hand needle.
Then you will purl the 2 slipped stitches through the back loops. To do this, angle your work just so you can see the back of the 2 stitches and then insert the tip of the right hand needle into the stitches from back to front so that the needle is pointing at you, as in the picture above, and then purl them together.
RESOLVING THE LAST WRAP IN THE ROUND!!
This is the most exciting part for me! This would be that very last wrap you need to resolve that was made on the purl side but will need to be picked up on the knit side. Normally that stitch would have a very tight wrap around it and no matter how it's picked up there's a disruption in your knitting that can be very unsightly.
TOP OF THE PHOTO ABOVE: For this last Short Row turn you will need to knit to 3 stitches before the marker.
BOTTOM OF THE PHOTO ABOVE: Slip the first stitch as if to knit.
TOP OF THE PHOTO ABOVE: The next stitch on our needle is a little tight and is twisted. Slip this stitch by inserting the tip of the right hand needle in the back of the loop.
BOTTOM OF THE PHOTO ABOVE: Then insert the tip of the left hand needle through the front of the loops and knit them together. Basically you will make a slip slip knit (ssk) with the exception of the stitches being slipped differently.
As you can see in the photos below this method provides invisible Short Rows!
No matter if the Short Row turns were made on the knit side or the purl side they just look FANTASTIC!!!!
This Raglan sweater is knit in Stockinette Stitch, with the exception of purling the Raglan seam stitches, with the intention to be worn Reverse Stockinette side out. And even the reverse side of these Japanese Short Rows look fantastic!! I'm in love with these Short Rows!!!
Have you ever tried this method of knitting Short Rows?