Japanese Short Rows

nona likes to save the best for last, which means today we'll be exploring Japanese Short Rows.  Over the past few days we've seen the results of my short row experiment and taken a closer look at both the Wrapped Stitch and Yarn Over techniques.  I highly recommend trying the short row experiment for yourself -- generic directions for the short row swatch can be found here.

I first heard reference to the Japanese short row technique from a fellow knitter who attended a Lucy Neatby workshop -- I believe Lucy originated the pin trick I'll be showing you.  Additional references can be found in PGR's Knitting in the Old Way and Montse Stanley's Knitter's Handbook -- referred to as the "catch" short row technique.  nona found this technique to be very easy to execute and achieved the best overall look and feel.

Japanese Technique - Front and Back

Let's take a look at how the Japanese technique handles the turning point and closing the gap.

Turning Point
Each short row has a turning point, where the knitting is turned without completing the row. 

On the knit side:

• Knit to the turning point in the row
• Turn -- you're now on the purl side -- and slip the next stitch purlwise
• Attach a pin to the working yarn -- the pin should go around the yarn, not through it
• Continue, ignoring the pin, it won't be used until the gap is closed

Knit Turning Point

On the purl side:

• Purl to the turning point in the row
• Turn -- you're now on the knit side -- and slip the next stitch purlwise
• Attach a pin to the working yarn -- the pin should go around the yarn, not through it
• Continue -- if you flip the knitting over, you'll see the pin attached to a loop

Purl Turning Point

Closing the Gap
A gap is formed at each turning point, which is closed when the gap is next encountered.  With the Japanese technique the gap is quite noticeable.  When you reach the gap, the pin will be under the right needle.

On the knit side:

• Knit until you reach the gap.
• If you flip the knitting over, you'll see the pin attached to a loop behind the right needle
• From the knit side, pull the pin and pop the pin's loop up onto the left needle.  The loop should be correctly mounted with its right leg in front.
• Knit the pin's loop together with the next stitch.
• Remove the pin

Knit Gap Closing

On the purl side:

• Purl until you reach the gap -- the pin will be attached to a loop under the right needle.
• Slip the first stitch on the left needle purlwise onto the right needle
• Pull the pin and pop the pin's loop up onto the left needle.  The loop should be correctly mounted with its right leg in front.
• Slip the first stitch on the right needle back to the left needle (this slipping of the first stitch is necessary to reverse the order of the stitch and the pin's loop
• Purl the next stitch together with the pin's loop.
• Remove the pin

Purl Gap Closing