Marianne saw my pictures on how to do short-row wraps and asked for help on with short-rows on shoulders.

My first suggestion was to pick up The Knitter’s Book of Finishing Techniques by Nancie M. Wiseman. It has the best description of how to do short rows for a three-needle bind off. She does a much better job of explaining this than I can, but I’ll give it a shot.

When working short-row on shoulders you’ll need to do the opposite of what the directions tell you. Instead of binding off stitches at the beginning of a row, you’ll put the stitches at the end of the row on stitch holders. Here’s a chart that I made while working on the back of the Tea Tree sweater.

Here’s a key to the chart.

\ = stitches on holders

< = knit side

> = purl side

green = start of shoulder shaping

pink = start with new piece of yarn

Now keep in mind that this chart also shows a neck edge that has short rows instead of being bound off. The next time I use this technique I might try binding off the neck stitches instead. I remember having trouble with holes when I tried to knit the collar band.

So here’s a step-by-step blow of what I remember doing. I usually try to knit while I write directions but right now I’m too busy spinning to get out my needles.

Begin shaping at green cell on the chart and work up.

Row 1: start on the knit side and knit to the last six stitches, wrap the stitch and turn

Row 2: purl to the last six stitches, wrap the stitch and turn

Row 3: knit 15 stitches, place 17 stitches on holder, knit to the last six stitches, wrap the stitch and turn

Row 4 (left hand side) : purl to last three stitches, wrap the stitch and turn (leave three collar stitches on holder)

Row 5 (left hand side): knit last six stitches and continue working down the shoulder to the armhole, remembering to hide the wraps.

Now go back to left hand side and start with new yarn.

Row 4 (right hand side): purl to last six stitches, wrap the stitch and turn

Row 5 (right hand side): knit to last three stitches, wrap the stitch and turn (leave three collar stitches on holder)

Row 6 (right hand side): purl last six stitches and continue working down the shoulder to the armhole, remembering to hide the wraps.

Ok, so there you go. I need to get back to the spinning wheel since I only have it for a week. Spinning is so much more difficult then knitting.