Free Video: German Short Rows
Trying to pick up the “wrap” of regular short rows is hard on your eyes. With German short rows, there’s no “wrap” and no need to pick it up later to disguise it.
This tutorial shows you how to do German short rows and how to substitute them in patterns that call for a regular wrap and turn.
How to Replace Regular Short Rows with German Short Rows
You can substitute German short rows for the wrap-and-turn in any pattern. You just need to work one more stitch than the pattern indicates before creating your “double stitch.” Details below.
Free Video: How to Do German Short Rows
Correct method: On each row, work one extra stitch than the pattern indicates before turning, slipping the stitch, and creating the double stitch.
If your pattern says “K40, W&T, P22, W&T, continue working back and forth, working until one stitch before the wrap and turn, W&T,” you would substitute GSR (German Short Rows) as follows: “K41, turn, slip, create double stitch, P23, turn, slip, create double stitch, work up to next double stitch, turn, slip, create double stitch.”
Step-by-Step Instructions: German Short Rows
1. Knit one stitch more than where your pattern says to wrap and turn.
2. Turn your work.
3. Keep the yarn in front.
4. Slip the first stitch from the left-hand needle to the right-hand needle purlwise.
5. The stitch is slipped to the right-hand needle.
6. Bring the working yarn up and over the back of the right hand needle.
7. Tighten the yarn to the back. The stitch now appears as a double stitch.
8. Bring the yarn to the front to purl.
9. Purl across, purling one more stitch than your pattern indicates.
10. When counting how many stitches you’ve purled, be careful not to count the double stitch as the first purled stitch.
11. Counting your purl stitches. Don’t count the double stitch.
12. After working one purl stitch more than indicated, turn your work.
13. Keep the yarn in front or move it to the front if needed.
14. Always hold the yarn to the front, on the knit or purl side, before you slip the stitch.
15. Slip the stitch to the right-hand needle purlwise.
16. Lift the yarn up and over the back of the needle.
17. Tighten the working yarn until the stitch appears as a double stitch.
18. Normally your pattern will now tell you to knit to the stitch before the wrapped stitch.
19. In German short rows, you’ll want to knit right up to the double stitch.
20. Knit until you get to the double stitch.
21. Turn.
22. Keep the yarn to the front.
23. Slip the stitch to the right-hand needle.
24. The stitch is slipped.
25. Lift the yarn up and over the back of the needle and tighten until the stitch appears as a double stitch.
26. Bring the yarn to the front to purl.
27. Purl until you reach the next double stitch.
28. Turn your work.
29. Keep the yarn to the front.
30. Slip the next stitch purlwise.
31. Lift the working yarn up and over the back of the needle and tighten to create a double stitch.
32. Your pattern will usually tell you to continue wrapping and turning until you have a certain number of stitches between the wrapped stitches.
You will continue your German short rows in the same manner until you have that same number of stitches between your double stitches.
Here there are 10 stitches between the “wrapped” (double) stitches.
33. Time to hide your double stitches. Work across the knit side until you reach a double stitch.
34. Insert your right-hand needle into the middle of the double stitch.
35. Knit the stitch (this feels like a knit two together).
36. The double stitch is hidden.
37. A closer look at where you should insert the right-hand needle to hide any double stitch.
38. Insert the needle right into the middle of the stitch and knit it to hide.
39. Work across the knit side, knitting each double stitch through the middle, to hide all the double stitches on the knit side.
40. Turn and purl across your work until you reach the first double stitch on the purl side.
41. With the yarn in front, insert your right-hand needle from back to front into the middle of the double stitch just as you did on the knit side.
42. Purl the double stitch. This feels like doing a purl two together.
43. Hiding the double stitch on the purl side.
44. Continue working across the purl side, purling each double stitch through the middle as you come to it.
45. The hidden double stitches on the purl side.
46. The finished German short rows.
…and there you have it! Now you can use German short rows in the place of a regular wrap and turn, and never struggle with being able to see those pesky wraps again!
Family Photos/News
KnitFreedom readers are so lovely in that they ask about what’s going on in my personal life, so here are a few photos.
Also a few notes about upcoming KnitFreedom classes and tutorials:
I’ve just put the finishing touches on our new Dog Sweater class which I will be officially launching soon, but is actually available now.
I’ve also just knit one of my fun 5-petal moebius bowls in preparation for a new video class, Felted Moebius Bowl! This is a very quick knit with tons of great techniques that I’m excited to teach.
Personally, I’ve been working on making my house a home with an amazing Feng Shui consultant to help me know what changes are most impactful to make. I might show some before-and-after photos one of these days!
Hugs,
Liat
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