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How to Knit Shadow Wrap Short Rows

Short-row shaping is literally knitting a “short,” or partial, row before turning and working back in the other direction. It allows you to knit three-dimensional shapes or curved edges. I use it in these patterns to shape necklines and hemlines. There are many methods of knitting short rows, but the Shadow Wrap is by far my favorite. It is not only virtually invisible, but also quite easy to work, once you memorize the steps.

The above video shows Shadow Wrap Short Rows (SWSRs) from the right side and does not have audio, click here for the RS tutorial with audio. 

For Shadow Wraps on the wrong side, see WS SWSR with audio and WS SWSR without audio.

    SWSR on RS

    1

    Step 1

    On the right side: Knit to where you are instructed to turn a short row.

    2

    Step 2

    A

    Before you turn, work a KRL into the next stitch on your left needle by lifting the right arm of the stitch directly below the one on your needle.

    B

    Place this new loop on the left needle.

    C

    Knit the new loop so it becomes a stitch.

    D

    Immediately pass that new stitch back to the left needle so it sits next to its "shadow".

    3

    Step 3

    You'll see the twin shadow stitches sitting right next to each other. You can't miss them. Now turn your work and purl back.

    4

    Step 4

    When you work back to the shadow wrap on the right side and need to close your short row, all you do is knit the 2 shadow stitches together.

    SWSR on WS

    Watch on YouTube

    1

    Step 1

    On wrong side, purl as instructed in pattern to prepare to turn a short row.

    2

    Step 2

    A

    Before you turn, work a modified PLL into the next stitch on your left needle: Slip the next stitch from the left to the right needle.

    B

    Insert the left needle from the bottom up through the head of the purl stitch just below the needle. (This is similar to a PLL, but you are working directly under the needle rather than 2 stitches below.) 

    C

    Purl the head of the stitch that you just picked up. You’ve made 2 little “shadow” stitches that sit together.

    D

    Slide the “shadow” stitches together back to the left needle.

    3

    Step 3

    As you do, you’ll see the twin “shadow” stitches sitting right next to each other. You can’t miss them. Now turn your work and knit back. 

    4

    Step 4

    When you work back to the shadow wrap on the wrong side and need to close your short row, simply purl the 2 “shadow” stitches together.

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    Comments

    Cocoknits

    Hi Christine, No, it means that as you knit your row, you will stop 4 sts before the previous double shadow st and do another Shadow Wrap, then turn and purl back. You don’t hide the shadows until the final instruction in the paragraph, to knit across all the stitches. Please let us know at knit@cocoknits.com if you have any more questions. Enjoy your Leonie!

    Christine Brophy

    I am knitting the Leonie pattern and confused understanding the SWSR rows. “Continue in this way working 4 fewer stitches at each pass….”? Does it mean I go up to each shadow stitch do the SWSR and turn?

    Anonymous

    Hi Mary, No, the shadow and the stitch it shadows are counted as one stitch. They are easy to see because they look like a double stitch. You’ll be knitting them together at some point. Hope that helps!

    Mary Cullinane

    Hi I am knitting a leonie. I am doing the srsw. When I go back and forth on the rows do I count the shadow stitch as a separate stitch? Thank you

    George Erwin

    I tried the variation as I suggested, using the PRL on the wrong side. I decided that I preferred the results and have been working them this way on my project. The lean of the increases mirror each other, and it does seem to me to result in a little less bulk.

    Anonymous

    Hi George, Interesting question! We think It would be into the wrong st—on the wrong side of the short row gap. Try it out and see what happens :)

    George

    I have a question about SWSR on WS. Why don’t you just do a PRL (instead of the modified PLL)? The twin stitch would thus be inserted on the inside of each turning stitch (with regard to the zig-zag yarn flow through the short rows). It seems to me that this would yield a better result than the modified PLL, as the strand of yarn would not cross over the back of the stitch. It would mirror the turning stitch made on the RS rather than having the same appearance when viewed from the RS.

    But then, a PRL strikes me as the “natural” thing one would do on the WS to complement the KRL on the RS. So whoever first came up with the SWSR must have had a reason for using the modified PLL instead. What am I missing?

    Anonymous

    Hi Karen, Please email us at knit@cocoknits.com with your question, letting us know which of our patterns you are knitting. We look forward to helping you figure this out!

    Karen Collier

    I have complete 1 round of SWSR. I have knit and done a shadow stitch on an right side, purled back and done a shadow stitch on purl side. I just knitted back to right side shadow stitch. I knitted them together. I am now confused what to do next my pattern says knit 7 and do shadow stitch. Do I do the knit 7 after I did the K2tog and then turn

    Thank you for your help

    MARIA SOLEDAD PEREZ IZQUIERDO

    muchas gracias

    Anonymous

    Hi Sandy,
    We’re happy to help. For pattern support, could you send us an email with the specifics at knit@cocoknits.com?
    Thanks!

    Sandy Martin

    I am beginning the wonderful Little Lamb
    My question is, what does “2 I-cord sts on each Front edge….” mean?

    Thanks for your help

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