How to Knit German Short Rows and Make the Double Stitch

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Of all the ways to create short-rows in knitting, German short-rows have become the most popular. It’s no wonder—they are easy to work and produce excellent results. You’ll see them used to raise the back neck area on circular yoke sweaters, to shape the shoulder slope on pullovers and cardigans, to add bust shaping, and to create a curved shirttail hem.

Above: A completed double stitch at the turn of a German short-row

But the written instructions for German short-rows can vary and making the pivotal double stitch can confuse the uninitiated. I’ll demystify the instructions for German short-rows and take you through them step by step.

German Short-rows in Knitting Patterns

Creating German short-rows involves two steps: turning the work and making the double stitch, usually abbreviated as DS.

Some pattern writers treat the double stitch as the end of the row being completed. Their instructions will look something like this:

• Short-row 1 (RS) Work in pattern to last 5 sts, DS.
• Short-row 2 (WS) Work in pattern to end.

I prefer to treat the double stitch as the beginning of the new row; I think it more accurately describes what the knitter is intended to do. Here is how the instructions will look:

• Short-row 1 (RS) Work in pattern to last 5 sts, turn.
• Short-row 2 (WS) DS, work in pattern to end.

These two sets of instructions describe exactly the same thing. In the first case, the turn is treated as part of making the double stitch; in the second, the turn is spelled out separately.

Step-by-Step Instructions

For our example, I’m imagining using German short-rows used to shape the shoulder slope on the back of a pullover. My swatch is 40 stitches wide. For the sake of clarity, I’ve worked my swatch in stockinette stitch, but German short-rows can be used with just about any stitch pattern.

Here are the instructions we’re going to follow:

• Short-row 1 (RS) Knit to last 5 sts, turn.
• Short-row 2 (WS) DS, purl to last 5 sts, turn.
• Short-row 3 DS, knit to 4 sts before DS, turn.
• Short-row 4 DS, purl to 4 sts before DS, turn.
• Rep Short-rows 3-4 once more.
• Next row (RS) DS, knit to end working DS as single st.
• Next row (WS) Purl to end, working DS as single st.

1. Knit across the row until 5 stitches remain on your left needle (Photo 1).
2. Turn the piece so the wrong side is facing you. The working yarn should be at the front, toward you (Photo 2).
3. Slip the next stitch on the left needle to the right needle as if to purl (Photo 3).
4. Bring the working yarn up and over the right needle toward the back. Pull firmly. You want to see both legs of the slipped stitch stretched over the top of the right needle, forming the double stitch (Photo 4).

5. Move the working yarn into position for the next stitch. In this case, we’ll be purling, so the working yarn is brought to the front (Photo 5).
6. Purl across the row until 5 stitches remain on your left needle (Photo 6). The 5^th stitch is hiding under my thumb in the picture.
7. Turn the work so the right side is facing you. The working yarn should be at the front, toward you (Photo 7).
8. Slip the next stitch on the left needle to the right needle as if to purl (Photo 8).

9. Bring the working yarn up and over the right needle toward the back. Pull firmly. You want to see both legs of the slipped stitch stretched over the top of the right needle, forming the double stitch (Photo 9).
10. Move the working yarn into position for the next stitch. In this case, we’ll be knitting, so the working yarn is in the back (Photo 10).
11. Knit to 4 stitches before the previous double stitch. The double stitch is indicated by a red triangle in the photo (Photo 11). Now repeat Steps 2-6.
12. Purl to 4 stitches before the previous double stitch. The double stitch is indicated by a red triangle in the photo (Photo 12). Now repeat Steps 7-10.

You’ve worked Rows 1-4, for 2 sets of short rows. A set of short rows is a pair: one right side row and one wrong side row. Work one more set to complete our imaginary shoulder shaping.

Resolving the Double Stitches

When your short-rows are complete, you’ll work two rows to resolve the double stitches and get you back to the edges of your piece. When you come to the double stitches, you will knit or purl them as if they were a normal single stitch. Here’s how it looks:

In Photo 13, the double stitches created at the beginning of Short-rows 2, 4, and 6 are indicated with red triangles. If you have trouble identifying the double stitches in your knitting, try placing a marker on your needle immediately after making the double stitch, before working the rest of the row. When you return to this spot, you’ll know that the double stitch is the one right after the marker.

Knit the double stitches as if they were normal single stitches (Photo 14).’

Photo 15 shows you how those double stitches look on the wrong side. Purl the double stitches as if they were normal single stitches (Photo 16).

In the completed swatch (Photo 17), you can see the smooth shaping created by the short rows, with the center of the piece 6 rows longer than the sides. The points where the work was turned are nearly invisible. We’re left with an unbroken line of stitches ready for more knitting, or binding off, or joining to another piece with a Three-Needle Bind-off.

Applying German Short-rows

Once you’ve given them a try, German short-rows could easily become your preferred short-row method. You can substitute German short-rows for wrap-and-turn short-rows or other short-row techniques. You may even decide to use German short-rows in patterns that call for a stepped bind-off.

I know several knitters who have become evangelists for German short-rows. Will you be next?

Sandi Rosner
Technical Content Editor, Yarn

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