Short row shaping is used often in sweaters – especially those knit in the round – most commonly to raise the back neck, create a sleeve cap, lower the back hem to create the look of a shirt-tail, or a cosy shawl collar.
Wrap and Turn (W+T) on the Right Side:
STEP 1 / With the right side facing, bring the yarn to the front, in-between the needles. Slide the last stitch on the left hand needle to the right hand needle as if to purl.
STEP 2 / Bring the working yarn in-between the needles to the back of the work. Slip the wrapped stitch back onto the left hand needle as if to purl.
STEP 3 / Turn the work over in preparation to work a wrong side row. The wrapped stitch is now on your right hand needle.
STEP 4 / Continue working as set, wrapping the number of stitches as dictated in the pattern.
Wrap and Turn (W+T) on the Wrong Side:
STEP 1 / With wrong side facing, bring the yarn to the back, in-between the needles. Slide the last stitch on the left hand needle to the right hand needle as if to purl.
STEP 2 / Bring the working yarn in-between the needles to the front of work. Slip the wrapped stitch back onto the left hand needle as if to purl.
STEP 3 / Turn the work over in preparation to work a right side row. The wrapped stitch is now on your right hand needle.
STEP 4 / Continue working as set, wrapping the number of stitches as dictated in the pattern.
Picking Up Wraps: Right Side
STEP 1 / Slip the wrapped stitch onto the right hand needle as if to purl. Slide the left hand needle into the wrap as if to purl and slip off the wrapped stitch.
STEP 2 / Tuck the right hand needle in front of the left hand needle through the wrap. The wrap is now to the right of the stitch it wrapped.
STEP 3 / Slide the wrapped stitch (1st stitch on your right hand needle) and wrap (2nd stitch on your right hand needle) onto the left hand needle as if to purl. The stitches should be in the correct position on the needle, ready to be knit.
STEP 4 / Knit the wrap and wrapped stitch together (k2tog). The main thing to pay attention to is to keep the wrap on the right side of the wrapped stitch so it is behind it when you knit them together.
Picking Up Wraps: Wrong Side
STEPS 1-2 / Slip the wrapped stitch onto the right hand needle as if to purl. Slide the left hand needle into the wrap as if to purl and slip off the wrapped stitch. Tuck the right hand needle in front of the left hand needle through the wrap. The wrap is now to the right of the stitch it wrapped.
STEP 3 / Slide the wrapped stitch (1st stitch on your right hand needle) and wrap (2nd stitch on your right hand needle) onto the left hand needle as if to purl.
STEP 4/ Purl the wrap and wrapped stitch together through the back loop.
NOTE: I have noticed that knitters easily sort out working the wraps on the right side, but when it comes to working on the wrong side, they run into a few issues in working the stitches together, resulting in a visible wrap from the right side of the work. The key is to purl the stitches together through the back loop once you’ve worked your initial set-up steps. This ensures the wrap is facing you as you work on the wrong side, but invisible once you’re on the right side.
