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Master Short Rows with this Easy Shawl Pattern

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Master short rows with the Yin Yang Shawl from Patons.Short rows are commonly seen in socks to help make the heel, but there are lots of other reasons you might want to stop a row short and knit in the other direction. It’s a great way to shape all sorts of things, including shawls.

Vickie Howell and Yarnspirations have teamed up to teach you all about using short row shaping in a cool (and on-trend) triangular shawl pattern known as the Yin Yang Shawl. This one is worked in two colors of the new Patons yarn Denimy, which recalls the acid-washed ’80s, but I would love this shawl in solid-colored wool, too (and may even be knitting it that way soon).

If the pattern itself isn’t clear to you or your need a little more help with the techniques, Vickie has done a 12-minute video that goes through all the necessary techniques to get this shawl off the needles and around your shoulders in no time.

Have you ever worked short rows in a shawl or elsewhere? How do you like the technique?

[Photo via Yarnspirations.]

 

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Comments

  1. After writing out the pattern I watched your video. I was a little confused when it said to leave unworked stitches on a spare needle. I was envisioning all of these spare needles with all of these unworked stitches. Phew that is a relief to understand.

Have you read?

Knit a Classic Aran Cardigan with this Free Knitting Pattern

Not too long ago I did a test knit for another designer that was for a cabled cardigan. It’s really cozy and nice but it just about broke me in a ton of different ways. I couldn’t get gauge, which I suppose is my own problem, but mainly I was somehow both bored and forced to pay attention at the same time. 

Because it used the same cable all over, I always had to know what row I was on, but nine out of ten of those rows, nothing in particular was going on. So I couldn’t stop paying attention, but what I needed to attend to was boring. 

It may have ruined me for knitting cabled sweaters, but maybe I just need something that’s more engaging. Like this Modern Aran Cardigan pattern from Lion Brand Yarn. 

This is a reworking of an old pattern from their archives, and you can tell that form the classic look of the cables and the oversized feel (nothing cropped about this one!). It has allover cables, but like a classic Aran sweater it’s not the same cable, so you’ll have to pay attention to what row you’re on and what cable turns happen for which cables on that row. 

Because of this, it’s considered an intermediate knitting pattern, but if you’re comfortable working from multiple charts at once it shouldn’t be a problem for you. There are three different charts and seven different cable moves. 

Also because the pattern is so big and boxy there are only two sizes available, with a finished chest measurement of either 49 or 63 inches (that’s 124.5 or 160 cm). It’s up to you to decide how much ease you would like and whether that will work for your body. 

The pattern uses worsted weight yarn (and calls for another classic, Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool). It calls for six buttons and includes pockets to make it extra cozy. 

This one looks like a great winter project to make and to wear if you’re up for a bit of a challenge. You can grab the free pattern or buy a kit with the yarn needed direct from Lion Brand Yarn. 

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]