KAL: Converting Bind off Row Shoulders to Short Row Shoulders

Posting a little late. A couple of you have already done this. But here it is written out.

I am not going to work the stair stepped shoulders that this pattern calls for. Because the base stitch pattern is stockinette, it will be very easy to convert to short rows and then three needle bind off.If the pattern remained lace, this would not be an option.

It’s fairly easy to convert a pattern from bind off shoulder to short rows.

First note the bind off sequence.
There typically be 6-8 rows for the back of a piece. 3-4 rows per shoulder.

For the back:
To work the first short row, instead of binding off the set # of stitches. Knit until you’ve got that number of stitches left on the needle. Turn the work, yarn over, and purl until you’ve got that same number of stitches again remaining, turn the work and yarn over.

For the next rows you will work in the same manner but add to the original number the next number of sts, then turn and yarn over just the same.

Example:
Pattern reads
At the beg of every row bind off 8 sts twice, then 7 sts four times.

Short rows:
Knit until 8 sts are left, turn, yo.
Purl until 8 sts are left, turn, yo.
Knit until 15(16 if you include the yarn over) sts are left, turn, yo.
Purl until 15(16 if you include the yarn over) sts are left, turn, yo.
Knit until 22 (24 if you include the yarn overs) sts are left, turn, yo.
Purl until 22 (24 if you include the yarn overs) sts are left, turn, yo.

Next row Knit across working the yarn overs with the stitch after the gap.
Next row Purl across working the yarn overs with the stitch after the gap.

When you work the fronts you eliminate either the purl or knit rows depending on the side you are working on. The right front will work the knit rows and the left front will work the purl rows.


How to work the yarn overs with the stitch on the other side of the gap:

Work to the gap:
On the Knit side: Work either an ssk or k2tog. Choose the decrease which allows you to work the yarn over first. ( ssk-- you will see: yo-gap-stitch k2tog---you will see: stitch--gap--yo)

On the Purl side: Work either an ssp or p2tog. Choose the decrease which allows you work the yarn over first (ssp--you will see: stitch--gap--yo p2tog-- you will see: yo--gap--stitch)