Short Row Shaping for Back Neck, Top Down, in the Round- short rows

This video is about how to add short rows to the back neck for a top down garment in the round.
This is in conjunction with the ITAG-Yoke Tutorial KAL by Suzanne Bryan - www.ravelry.co...
Also see - Body Measurements for a Yoke Sweater - • Body Measurements for ...
Time Stamps
00:00 Reading the schematic in Ann Budd’s book Top-Down Sweaters
3:02 Total stitch count
5:17 How to do extra increases for bigger arm size
6:22 Dividing for body and sleeves
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[@karenstrachan287]

I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your help. I am 73 and this is the first time I have used short rows on clothing. I was having a lot of trouble figuring how to make the neck edge work out and watched several videos but yours was the only one that showed how/when to pick up and make the w&t part of the fabric. Thank you so much!😀🥰

[@SuzanneBryan]

You are so welcome, Karen! I really appreciate your very kind feedback, thank you! ❤️

[@frapatch]

Was trying to figure out how to add short rows to a bottom up and this was just what I needed. Brilliant your use of contrasting color. I love all your videos. Thank you so much for sharing all your knowledge. God bless you

[@SuzanneBryan]

Glad it was helpful! 🧶

[@vivienneclarke2421]

I've knitted SO many sweaters with no back shaping because every technique I've tried I get noticeable holes that look awful~!! Instead,I end up with sweaters that bunch up and STILL look awful bc......no back shaping🤦‍♀️ Right now I'm knitting a sweater for a fb friend,who is paying me for my yarn and my time,and I want it to be done right~!! I should've known you'd have a video on this and come here years ago lol...... I'll be doing a swatch first for practice, but then think I'll be good to go.......thank you SO much Suzanne,,you've literally removed a great source of stress from my already stressful life lol~!! I've learned so much from you in the past,and now I think I've just learned the most important lesson in knitting so far😄 🥢🧶💛

[@SuzanneBryan]

I love hearing this so much, Vivienne; it is feedback like yours that makes my efforts worthwhile! ❤️

[@selmahoste7431]

Thank you so much for all your videos. I knitted a lot in the 80’s. Then I used patterns and did my best. But you are learning me so much more. I picked knitting up again during this pandemic. Your videos really help me to develop as a knitter. I know so much more now and the way you show it in the videos is very clear. Thanks again!

[@SuzanneBryan]

Wonderful! 🧶

[@yvonneneilson3472]

Thank you for the excellent video on short row shaping for the back neck of a top down sweater. I followed your instructions to the letter and it looks great!

[@SuzanneBryan]

Great job! Be sure to subscribe to my channel if you haven't already, happy knitting.

[@sarahmclean819]

Thank you so much for this. Best video on short rows!

[@SuzanneBryan]

What a lovely thing to say, Sarah, thank you! ❤️

[@randommusings48]

This is such an excellent video on short shaping using a different colour! It makes it so much easier to visualize and understand what a short row shaping look like!

[@SuzanneBryan]

Thank you.

[@nataliehowe6213]

Thank you SO much. I have a very simple sweater I want to make and it gives the option to do short row shaping to add structure to the neck. I am just about to cast on, but wasn’t planning to do this as it seemed far too complicated. You made it so simple, I feel like I can definitely do it now. 🎉

[@SuzanneBryan]

This is so wonderful to hear, Natalie, and I'm so happy to help! Thanks for watching and for the the very kind feedback! ❤️

[@knitwise24.7]

Exactly what I was looking for🙌🙌

[@SuzanneBryan]

Great!

[@laurenpage6154]

This is exactly this information I was trying to find. Thank you!!

[@SuzanneBryan]

So glad! 🧶

[@devtest8259]

I don’t understand how this isn’t the standard way. This is so easy, and quick and does exactly what is needed to prevent me from making one of those sweaters that always looks like its on backwards 😂 Just a simple wedge 1-1.5in thickness at the middle of the wedge really does wonders.

[@SuzanneBryan]

LOL, glad to hear your sweater will not look backwards! 😉 Sometimes it is the little things that make the biggest difference.

[@joanie9258]

Thanks for showing this! I kept getting holes & now I see that I was not picking up wraps correctly.

[@SuzanneBryan]

Glad I could help, Joanie!

[@amyberkner8525]

Thank you. Very informative.

[@SuzanneBryan]

You are very welcome, thanks for watching! 😊

[@judyperodeau8111]

Thank you soooo much Suzanne! You have not steered me wrong yet as I used your steeking tutorial and now I will use this info to do some short rows at the bottom of my sweater!😬🤞🏼😊.... you’re the best!

[@SuzanneBryan]

Wonderful Judy. Happy Knitting!

[@cigdemcayoglu7002]

Very clear explanation👏

[@SuzanneBryan]

Thank you 🙂

[@webhoard-was-taken]

This was so helpful, thank you!!

[@SuzanneBryan]

You're so welcome, RM! I appreciate you watching! 😊

[@beckyphillips4127]

Thanks! I came here trying to figure out how to process (to conceal) the wrap you identified as the one most people have trouble with. Is there a name for that particular wrap? Many thanks for everything. You're my #1 helper.

[@littlestbroccoli]

This was very thorough, thank you. And I love watching you knit Continental!

[@SuzanneBryan]

Thank you littlestbroccoli! Happy knitting.

[@VesnaAmmundsen-ef5no]

Thank you very very much! That tutorial answered my question that I couldn’t find elsewhere. I got another question that I can’t find answer for. That is how long should short rows be (stop on the back half of the blouse or go to the front) depending on the neck shape you want. I mean if it’s a more wide opening as a boat neck or smaller opening. I can’t find any tutorials answering that question.

[@MB-rk5sg]

Thank you for such a terrific video and explanation! How many short rows are necessary to raise the back neckline in a top down sweater? One inch or more? How many short rows would be too many? Are the number of short rows altered if making a turtleneck? Thank you for your help!

[@SuzanneBryan]

It depends on you and how your sweaters fit. Generally it is about 1", but I have also seen 2" or anything in between. Yes, you can also do it on turtle necks. Also, the number of short rows depends on your row gauge. Finer yarns require more rows that bulkier yarns. happy kntiting.

[@cammillajensen2328]

@@SuzanneBryan Oh thats what I was looking for :D I want to create a raglan top down in Broiche pattern in 3 thread of silk mohair. Do you know if the rows will be the same meaning if you can use GSR in broiche? Why do you need to lengthen the rows? And how do I find out how much to lenghten in the row - does it depends on how many centimeters i want to have the GSR 's in?

[@bh4040]

this will be my first time (attempting to) knit a sweater, but im not sure of all the different shapes to make and sew them all together. im also trying to use the sloped bind off. what shapes are used to piece together to knit a sweater this way

[@SuzanneBryan]

Hi Brad! Here is a link to a cardigan tutorial that may help, kzbin.info/www/bejne/j5vVhKB7gLetq6M . I have patterns in Ravelry that you may be interested as well. I do also have a Facebook page (same name) that is filled with supportive knitters at every level and we love to help. Best of luck on your first sweater! 😊

[@helenslaughter7622]

I've been looking for a way to adjust a top down sweater pattern for a rounded back. Will short rows help, or is there another way to adjust the fit for this problem?

[@paulabarrow1559]

I will be working a top down sweater that has a lot of patterning near the neck along with increases. I normally use short row right near the neck line. Because of the complexity of the pattern near the neckline, if I knit short rows further down the back of the sweater-maybe just above the sleeve separation-, would that still raise the neckline?? Your help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[@vivianli596]

If I was to add short rows, should I add them to the body below the colorworks or above the colorworks at the neck line?

[@neliprota]

Could I use these method (and which of the two ways would be better) if I were to shape earflaps for a hat (knitted in the round bottom up, so from neck to crown)? How could I best make them on both sides without messing up the row count? Thanks in advance (I've once made them in garter stitch for a baby hat, but that was long ago and not in the round I think).

[@jamesblanton5600]

Any information on saddle shoulder shaping...sometime used in gansey sweaters....deb

[@SuzanneBryan]

In the fall, I will be doing an Aran sweater tutorial with saddle shoulders. Are you in my Facebook or Ravelry groups? That is where it will be announced.

[@jasminey1589]

Is it possible to add short row shaping to pattern that is bottom up?

[@SuzanneBryan]

Absolutely, you would just work them in reverse. The longest first. 🧶

[@gul-lashtakhan7676]

Please help. How can I add short rows to a patterned raglan? The increases + short rows will ruin the pattern? Is it even possible?

[@elysecoleman3654]

Hoping someone will see this question even though the video is from 2019. I knit a lot of top down sweaters in the round where a lace pattern starts pretty much right after the neckline ribbing is finished. Can this method be used in the same area or do you have to work the W & T's first and then start the lace? If incorporating the two is possible, is there a video showing how to do that?

[@SuzanneBryan]

Elyse, this is an excellent question and I've decided to add this my video to do list. Thanks for the suggestion. In the meantime, yes it can be done in lace but you would want to chart it out for the back, so you would end up where you need to be in the front.😊

[@elysecoleman3654]

@@SuzanneBryan Thanks for letting us know. Hope to see your video on this technique soon.

[@melinaponton8738]

Very useful video. Do you have one where you do the 'shortening' method? I have a top down pattern with the longer rows first and I'm a bit confused as to when I pick up the stiches when working in the round

[@SuzanneBryan]

Yes I do! I have one on picking up the stitches in the round - here it is - kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKbHpWh7gbetiK8

[@melinaponton8738]

@@SuzanneBryan that was very helpful and looks easier than the technique I was using so will give it a go next time. Thank you!!

[@SuzanneBryan]

Wonderful.

[@monicarosenfeld6685]

Helpful. I am just wondering when to start adding the short rows, and for how many inches? I am making a baby sweater.

[@SuzanneBryan]

It depends on whether you are knitting top down or bottom up. If you are knitting top down, I would add them right after the cast on or after the first round or row. If you are working bottom up, I would work them before the last round or row. The depth of the short rows depends on the size of the garment. For a baby I would work them for about ½". For an adult, usually an inch is sufficient.

[@lesliedunne9916]

If you have knit the sweater and then plan to add short rows when picking up neck stitches to do the collar, would doing the shortening short rows be better since you are going up instead of down? I think doing the longest row first would blend better with the provisional cast on edge. It seems like it would match the effect of doing the lengthening short rows knitting top down.

[@SuzanneBryan]

Yes, you would start with the longest one first and work them in reverse. Happy knitting.

[@vivienneclarke2421]

I have a question.....how do I center it and know where to start my first row of w&t so when I'm finished it's centered between both shoulders?

[@SuzanneBryan]

To find the center of the back, count the number of stitches between the shoulders and divide by two. This should give you the center back. 😊

[@vivienneclarke2421]

@@SuzanneBryan I guess my question should have been how many stitches do I allow on each side from the center,so that the short rows don't end up closer to one shoulder than the other. Lol,,finding the center is easy,,CENTERING is more what I'm trying to figure out ~😄 I hope I explained that better..... Thank you for replying so quickly,I'm almost at the short row part of the sweater I'm currently knitting lol......

[@jeanninehawks2109]

@@vivienneclarke2421 - You would just mark the center and then the short rows should be the same number of stitches from either side of the center stitch.

[@vivienneclarke2421]

@@jeanninehawks2109 Thank you~!! My brain struggles with anything involving numbers lol......

[@prissiepot01]

I get the concept. What I don't understand is determining how or where you place them. If I had a neckline with 76 stitches and I needed to do done shaping, how do you determine how many stitches to knit before you start Your shaping.

[@SuzanneBryan]

Generally, the shortest row is the width of your neck on your body. The longest short row should wrap around to the front about 10-15%. The others are distributed between.

[@parkie012]

@@SuzanneBryan Your knowledge and expertise is amazing, I love your videos!!

[@jo-annemontgomery1839]

@@SuzanneBryan don't really understand this answer, not clear answer to the question

[@neliprota]

@Jo-Anne, I think she means that if you're neck is about 10cm (4") wide, that's how wide your shortest short should be (the number of stitches will depend on the gauge). Then the last (longest) short row should be such to 'invade' about 10-15% of what is the front of the sweater. Say that the neckline in the front is 25cm (10"), you'd work your longest short row to about 2.5cm or 1" into the front part. I hope this helps

[@npepperc4437]

How do you know if you should add short rows and how do you know how much to Add?

[@SuzanneBryan]

Practice and experience, and lots of mistakes. Just try it. The great thing about knitting is that you can redo it if you don't like it. Thank you!