Sandra's Designing Blog

Short Row Knitting -

Posted on 12:00pm Monday 16th Sep 2024

Hello !

You might have realised by now, that I love to experiment with knitting, a new technique comes my way and I just HAVE to tear it apart to understand it and then put it back together again. Mosaic, Brioche and Stacked stitches are 3 colour work techniques that tested my creativity. Click on the links above to have a go if you want !

I'm in the experimenting mode again, playing with short rows to create some different colour work knitting. You might ask "What is short row knitting"? Download my guide to find out.

A Comprehensive Guide to Short Row Knitting

I thought I'd share some feminine knitting patterns that incorporate short rows,

Merging Ripples Shawl by Kyoko Nakayoshi (Japan)
This shawl uses short rows and decreases to create curved stripes for a visually striking design.
Merging Ripples Shawl/Sideways Ripples Shawl Knitting Pattern Download | Knitting, Patterns, Wraps, Ponchos & Shrugs | Interweave

Alongside Slouch by Stefanie Bold (Germany)
A modern hat pattern where short rows shape the crown, creating an asymmetric and stylish look.
Ravelry: Alongside Slouch pattern by Stefanie Bold

Juno Top by Vert Knit (Portugal)
A fitted, versatile top that uses German short rows and bust darts for tailored shaping.Ravelry: JUNO top pattern by vert knit

“Spectra” by Stephen West (Netherlands)
A striking scarf that uses short rows to create colorful wedges in contrasting yarns.
Ravelry: Spectra pattern by Stephen West

“Toph” by Woolly Wormhead (UK)
A beanie-style hat with short row colorwork, knit sideways and grafted together.Toph Hat knitting pattern by Woolly Wormhead

These patterns showcase the versatility of short rows in shaping garments (hat crowns, bust shaping, shawl decreases). Using different colors within the short rows makes them an exciting technique to explore.

I was inspired by the new book by Woolly Wormhead - "Short Row ColorWork Knitting". which just arrived on my doorstep a few weeks ago. Woolly is well known for her beautiful hat designs. Some of her designs are worked sideways in garter stitch where she can use short rows to shape the crown. Incorporating a change of colour when she does it gives some interesting results. See the Toph hat above.

In her new book, Woolly uses the short rows, not for shaping but for creating beautiful colour work, concentrating on ensuring that the fabric size stays balanced rather than shaped.

So this is my experiment! Short rows incorporating stripes of colour. I'm now developing some ideas based on this concept. Coming soon...... you will have to wait........