German Short Rows

Short rows are a technique used in knitting to create extra fabric in certain areas of a piece without working a full of row of knitting. They are often used in the heel of socks and for sweater shaping. In this video, knitting expert Mary Beth Temple demonstrates how to work German Short Rows. This short row method is nearly invisible, making them a good technique to use when short rows might be seen, like in the upper back of a sweater.

Mary Beth is working her swatch much like the heel of a sock would be knit. She is working the swatch by adding one stitch of the short row to either side as she works back and forth.

When on the Right Side of the work, she creates a double stitch. This is often called a Double Knit Stitch (DSK) when German short rows are called for in a pattern. She works stitch as follows:

DSK (Double Stitch Knit) – on right side of work, move yarn to front, slip stitch purlwise, pull yarn firmly and bring yarn over the needle from front to back, creating a double stitch from the legs of the slipped stitch

A double stitch can also be created from the Wrong Side of the fabric. This is commonly called a Double Purl Stitch (DSP) and is worked as follows:

DSP (Double Stitch Purl) – on the wrong side of work and with yarn in front, slip stitch purlwise, pull yarn firmly and bring yarn over the needle from front to back, creating a double stitch from the legs of the slipped stitch, move yarn to the front

When she comes to the double stitches, she works both legs of the stitch on the needle together as one stitch. On the Right Side these will be knit together and on the Wrong Side they will be purled together.