Use Short Rows to Shape Knitting
Extra Rows in Knitting That Can Be Added to Improve Garment Fit
Short rows, used to add length, width or shaping to knitted projects, are a terrific way to customize and tailor knit garments.
Short rows can be used in knitting to add length to sweater backs, add darts for bust lines or hips, turn the heel of a sock, or shape the neck of a sweater.
Definition of a Short Row
Sometimes a pattern is close to what a knitter wants but needs a little tweaking to make it a more exact fit. Short rows are extra rows in knitting that can be added anywhere to add length and create shaping.
Short rows, like sock heels, make garments fit better by allowing the fabric to cup the body. When sock heels are turned, socks fit much better; likewise, short rows allow for improved fit anywhere on a knitted item.
They are a great way to customize the fit of a pattern for the specific needs of any body type. They add a little extra ease right where it’s needed and help transform a flat garment into a three-dimensional shape.
Bust Darts
Bust darts can be added to a garment to improve comfort and to prevent “hiking.” Bust darts are little extra triangles of fabric that are usually placed at the edge of garments beneath the arms.
If extra stitches at the ends of the rows create too much extra fabric that bunches under the arms, add instead to the bust at the front of the sweater. These extra short rows will create a pocket for the bust, avoiding the extra fabric at the armholes.
Waistline Darts
Adding stitches at either end of the rows at a waistline may result in a strange bulge of fabric at the waistline. Instead, short rows add ease to the middle of the sweater almost invisibly.
Torso Darts
Short rows added to the back of a sweater will keep it from riding up and looking uneven and sloppy. Short rows are only needed in a couple of places to add the necessary inch or two.
If a neckline is too low in the back, working a few short rows across the back of the neck can create a nice seamless raised edge.
Short rows at the neckline allow the shoulder to follow a natural slope. A set of short rows will raise the back neck enough for comfort. This is particularly effective with boat necks.
Shawl collars will lie gracefully if more fabric is added from their inside edge to their outside edge.
More Information
Once knitters learn about what short rows can do, they usually want to learn how to make them. Making short rows is explained in detail at Knit Picks. Enjoy personalizing your knitting projects.
