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Saturday, March 12, 2011

Turning it Around

Short rows are simple.  You just turn your work and head backwards.  Trouble is, if that's all you do--head backwards, that is--you'll be left with a gap at the turning point.  That's where the wrap comes in.

I know the books say w&t (wrap and turn), but to me it sure seems more like t&w (turn and wrap), so that's the way I'm writing this one.  After all, this pattern is for beginners.  I want it to be as simple and straightforward as possible.

Those experienced knitters among you will probably recognize my t&w as the method used when turning from a purl row.  You're right. 

1.  Turn the work around.  Yarn faces you.
2.  Slip the first stitch from the right-hand needle onto the left-hand needle.
3.  Bring yarn to back of work, facing away from you.
4.  Return slipped stitch (now carrying the wrap) to the right-hand needle. 
5.  Continue knitting stitches on the left needle.

Sure feels like turn-and-wrap to me. 

What about the bars?  Those little horizontal dabs of yarn that constitute the wrap, that you run into next time you pass this way? 

Normally we'd lift them and work them together with the stitch they wrap around.  But this pattern is--aha!--garter stitch.  The bars are going to be all but indistinguishable, so I'm not even going to suggest they be "concealed" by lifting (and working like a k2tog).

Better for the beginners this way. 

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