Technique Thursday: Shadow Wraps

Short-rows are one of the neatest tricks in a knitter’s toolbox. With a simple wrap-and-turn technique, short-rows create a curved fabric, useful for things like sock heels and sleeve caps. When working short-rows, a loop of yarn called a “wrap” is used to hide the turning point; without the extra wrap, a hole appears at every turning point. There are a multitude of ways to hide the turning point: traditional wraps, Japanese short-rows, German short-rows, etc. One of my favorite methods is shadow wraps. In Hope Vickman’s Vergence Pullover, featured in Knitscene Spring 2015, shadow wraps are used in the short-rows used to shape the sleeve caps. I put together a short video demonstrating this tidy technique. Enjoy!

Here are the illustrated directions for working shadow wraps: