Simultaneous Short Row Shoulder Shaping // Technique Tuesday 

If you are substituting the short rows for the stair step bind offs, then you don't end up with any extra length (possibly one row more, depending on the situation, but that's negligible).

You're very welcome!

Wonderful!

Glad to hear that!

This really is a technique for the back shoulders. I did a video a couple of years ago for short row shoulder shaping when you have separate shoulders. You can find it here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-kEAOGE2ZBms.html (I think it was linked on the video end screen, as well)

@@RoxanneRichardson Ah - thank you. I have asked a question above about this above. I will have a look at this.

The neck shaping on the back is usually decreases, so you don't have to worry too much about stair stepping there. You might be better off doing the shoulders separately, as for the front shoulders.

I’m looking again and I think you’re right.

You're welcome!

In order to figure out if a stitch pattern will work, you typically have to chart it out first and then analyze it. Sometimes, it will work physically, but not aesthetically. Sometimes you may need to adjust the exact placement of the turns in order to work with the stitch pattern. Cables can sometimes work, but it depends on the type of cable and whether or not there are cable crossings in the same row where you need to make a short row turn. For traveling cables, I usually find a way to first decrease the number of sts down to the number the shoulder would need for stockinette, and "close" the cable at the top, which allows me to do the short rows in reverse stockinette. Lace can work, sometimes, but you have to be mindful of where the decs and YOs lie in relation to the turn. Colorwork might work, depending on the stitch pattern. You have to address it on a case-by-case basis. Often, the best solution ends up being the stair-step bind off, but other times, you might be able to do the short row turns, maintaining the pattern just as you would for stair steps, and then for the final rows where you work across all the sts, work them in plain stockinette.

@Lourdes Manners - Good question, Lourdes! I believe I’m correct in advising that using the Kitchener graft for the shoulder seam is not advisable. There won’t be enough strength in the seam to support the weight of the garment, so it would simply stretch lengthwise. I’m not an expert like Rox, though, so I’ll let her weigh in if this is incorrect.

If you use W&T SRs, you have to pick up the wraps so that they hide on the WS of the work when you knit past them. If you use German SRs (which I most likely used in this demonstration), you don't pick up wraps, you have a double stitch sitting *on* the needle (rather than a wrap under the needle) that is worked as one stitch (like a k2tog or p2tog), and the result looks good on either face of the fabric.

@@RoxanneRichardson Thank you so much Roxanne for such a prompt reply. I will unpick and use German SR.

Usually, stockinette bands have several specific qualities (there are exceptions). First, they are knit in the same direction as the body of the sweater. They are knit to twice the width that you want the band to be, with an extra stitch in the center that creates a column of garter or RS purls. This is the fold line. Then the two selvedges of the band are sewn to the selvedge of the body. This not only prevents the band from rolling, but it gives the band more substance/thickness. When you knit the button holes, you have to knit them in both halves of the band and line them up when you fold the band. Ribbed bands will naturally lie flat, but they also create a thicker fabric with more substance than a single layer of stockinette, because the purls recede and the knits come forward.

Thank you much for your response.it was very helpful

If your vest has instructions for stair step bind offs, you can certainly make this substitution.

@@RoxanneRichardson So wonderful to get your quick feedback, a BIG thank🙏 from Germany😊 The pattern indicates shoulder slope and I suppose that your guidance may lead me to the result.

I use StitchMastery to chart my knitting patterns. I got it from stitchmastery.com

@@RoxanneRichardson Thank you!

While you *can* graft the shoulders closed, it's not always a good idea. The entire weight of the sweater hangs from the shoulders, so that's the place where you want less stretch and more stability than any other place in the garment. If the shoulders are grafted, the fabric can stretch too much widthwise and end up sliding down your arms.

If the shoulders are separate, as for the front of a sweater, use the method shown in the other video. If the shoulders are not separated, as for the back of a sweater, use this method.

The heads of the sts (which create the purl bumps) stay on the WS of the work where the chain BO is.

If the original instructions were to bind off at the start of a RS row, then on the WS row prior to that is where you would do your first short row turn.