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I'm excited to demonstrate a technique that's new to me, called Japanese Short Rows.
and i'm excited to show this because i get plenty of feedback from knitters that don't
like picking up wraps.
and they ask for advice on anything they can do, so that when they work short rows, they
can avoid wrapping and turning, and needing to pick up the wrap later.
and i've written at least one pattern where i made picking up the wraps not necessary,
because it doesn't show in the fabric, only because the feedback that you guys give me!
but this is a way of working short rows that looks really good, and it doesn't require
wrapping.
and because we're going to use clippie markers for what would be the wrap, they're really
easy to pick up.
let me just go ahead and show you here.
this is a finished example of japanese short rows, i think it looks great.
the right side of the work is smooth, i've steam blocked this a little bit.
i have not fully wet blocked it, i'm sure it will look even better if i do that.
if i wet block it.
but still, i am really impressed with the way this looks.
now the flip side, literally the flip side, is that the wrong side of the work does look
like you had some turning going on.
but if you're working on something in the round, or something where the wrong side of
the work isn't going to be seen, this is pretty ideal.
the written instructions for working this are in the video description below, as well
as on my website, and i'll give you a link on screen here to my website, if you're watching
the video somewhere else.
okay, i'm going to start in this purple yarn again to demonstrate this.
and you can substitute this technique for any pattern that has you wrapping and turning
and picking up wraps.
all i'm going to do is knit up to a spot where i want to do my turn.
so really, what you want to do, is follow your pattern up to the spot where it says
to turn your work.
i'm trying to knit enough so i can use this same piece for the purl side!
okay, so i have knit up to the spot where the pattern tells me to turn my work.
i'm going to turn my work, and slip that first stitch that has the working yarn attached
to it, from the left needle to the right.
okay, i'm on the wrong side of the work.
then you want to get yourself a clippie marker, and clip it on to the working yarn.
and just leave it hanging there.
and purl back to your next turn spot.
okay, on the purl side of the work, i purl up to the next spot that i need to turn, turn
my work, slip that stitch from the left needle to the right.
so the working yarn is over here on the right needle.
take another clippie marker, clip it to the working yarn, leave that there, and knit to
whatever the pattern tells me next.
which might be another turning point, it might be time to pick up the wraps, which you're
not really going to do.
and in the sample that i did like this here, i had a lot of clippies hanging off the back
of my work.
but watch how awesome this is!
this is the really exciting part of this. [laughs]
i'm going to knit up to the turning point, my last turning point.
which, if you're working short rows, can be hard to find.
and with the clippie marker here, it's not hard to find!
and that's not the only purpose the clippie marker has!
so i have my clippie marker holding this yarn.
this is essentially what would be the wrap.
but it's not.
it's just a, uh, a strand running between the two stitches.
but it's going to serve the same thing that a wrap does in traditional wrapping and turning.
i grab this piece of yarn by the clippie marker, and i'm going to put it up on the needle like
this.
and i want to get it mounted with the right leg in front.
once it's up on that needle, i can knit those two together.
and that is it!
that would serve the same purpose as a wrap and turn.
as picking up a wrap.
and i can take this clippie marker out, because i'm done with that one now.
and then you'll follow your pattern.
i'm going to go back this other direction so that i can show you how to pick up on the
purl side.
and i'll just do a little japapese short row here while i'm at it.
so when it comes to picking up the not-wrap on the purl side, i'm going to very easily
purl up to the spot where i have the clippie marker.
and then again, i can use the clippie marker to get a good grip on the piece i need to
put on the needle.
put it up on the needle.
i'll go ahead and take the marker out now.
i have that mounted with the right leg in front.
just purl that together with the stitch on the needle.
and that is it!
and then continue working.
and you see, it looks really good.
i haven't even blocked it yet.
but it looks really good, both spots where i turned.
again the written instructions for doing this, on both doing the turns on the knit and purl
sides and picking up the "wraps" on both the knit and purl side are in the video description
below, as well as on my website.
good luck.
[whooshing sounds]
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