How to Shape Shoulders and Neck with Short Rows with Video

I’ve received a few requests for a video explanation of my short row shaping method from this previous post.

My project pattern called for shaping shoulders and the neck by binding off the edges to create these stair-step-like edges:

Instead, I used short rows to create smooth curves. I had a choice of either binding off the stitches for seaming or leaving them live to graft the shoulders and attach the collar. On my my project, I left them live. In the video sample, I bound them off so you could see the smooth curve created by using short rows for the shoulder slopes and neck dip.

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Apply To Your Project

This method is easy to apply to any pattern that calls for binding off stitches for shaping. In my example, I started with 93 stitches before the shaping started. The pattern called for shaping the shoulders first by knitting back and forth for 12 rows (6 right side rows, and 6 wrong side rows), and binding off 3 stitches at each end each time. Instead, I worked until 3 stiches before each end, did a wrap & turn (w&t), then worked until 3 stitches before each previously wrapped stitch and did another w&t until had 6 wrapped stitches on each side for 12 rows. Here is a graphical representation of my knitting:

The arrow show the direction of the knitting. Left arrows are worked on the right (front) side; right arrows are the wrong (back) side. The first row shows knitting across the front side to 3 stitches before the end, doing a w&t, then working (purling) across the back side to 3 stitches before the end and doing a w&t. The next row shows knitting across the front side to the last 6 stitches (3 stitches from the previously wrapped stitch), working a w&t, then purling across to the last 6 stitches (3 stitches from the previously wrapped stitch), and so on, until 12 rows have been worked.

You can apply this to your pattern by simply working a w&t at the end of each row the same number of stitches from the end that your pattern calls for binding off at the beginning of the row.

Shoulder slope can also modified if your shoulders slope more or less. For more slope, work more w&t’s closer together; for less slope, work fewer w&t’s spread more apart.

Neck shaping is a tiny bit more complicated, but still quite easy. My pattern called for binding off the center 19 stitches and using two balls of yarn and working each neck edge at the same time. Instead, I worked the right side of the neck first, then knit across to the left neck edge and worked it.

I marked off the outer neck stitches (18 stitches in from each end), and marked off the center 19 stitches that the pattern called for binding off. Per the pattern, 3 stitches are bound off at the outer neck twice, and 5 stitches are bound off at the inner neck twice. Here is how I worked the neck shaping, starting with a right-side row:

1. Knit to 5 stitches before second marker, w&t.
2. Purl to 3 stitches before first marker, w&t.
3. Knit to 5 stitches from previously wrapped stitch, w&t.
4. Purl to 3 stitches to previously wrapped stitch, w&t.
5. Knit across to 3 stitches before fourth marker, picking up wraps, w&t.
6. Purl to 5 stitches before third marker, w&t.
7. Knit to 3 stitches from previously wrapped stitch, w&t.
8. Purl to 5 stitches from previously wrapped stitch, w&t.
9. Knit across to end of work, picking up all wraps.

Again, you can apply this to your pattern. Mark off the neck stitches, and center bound-off stitches and just do w&t’s at the end of each row instead of binding off at the beginning.

The final step is to purl back across entire work, picking up all wraps. Stitches can then be bound off or left live.

Thank you for reading and watching. Please feel free to leave questions or comments below.