Genius Tips
The Short Row Lifeline
Dear Kay,
I have more than 90,000 photos in my library, most of them pictures of knitting, obviously, yet I managed not to take a picture of a cool little trick I just learned.
I put lifelines into my Bolin Cardigan to mark where I began working short rows. And I yanked them out before I could document their tidiness, these clever wayfaring landmarks, the way they make it incredibly easy to keep track of where you are on your short row journey.
Now, you might say, “Ann. Short rows are not hard. They’re just rows that are short. Get your head in the game, woman.”
And I would say, “I know. But . . .”
But maybe I put my knitting down for twelve seconds to take another bite of a Belvita.
Or I had to go dump more bird food in the yard.
Or I stopped to write a snappy riposte to somebody on TikTok who was disparaging the concealer I happen to like (Laura Mercier Real Flawless Weightless Perfecting Serum Concealer and yes that is its actual name).
You know what I mean. As simple as a short row is, it does require attention. In the past I’ve made little checklists when short rows are in order, sort of a 1 2 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 thing, and I’d check off each row as I finished that row. But even this allows imperfection unless you are On Your Game.
The short row lifeline is a strand of contrasting yarn that you thread into the row before you begin a series of short rows. It’s now very clear where you started short rowing. The red lines are where I threaded yarn across the work.
Game changer. So easy to count how many rows you’ve worked. For this design, there are 14 short rows, easy to count now that I knew where I began short rows.
So, it’s hats off and a high five to the great Lorilee Beltman for sharing this trick with us in her Bang Out a Sweater virtual workshop that is now under way. Maybe, like me, you think you know a lot about knitting. I promise you, Lorilee knows more.
It’s not too late to sign up for this extravaganza—the three-part virtual workshop concludes on February 28; recordings of the first two sessions are available to you immediately.
I love Norah Gaughan’s design so much. And with Lorilee telling me things I didn’t know, it’s even better.
It’s soft and beautiful and a joy to make. This is Rowan Felted Tweed in Treacle, Kidsilk Haze in Rose.
The sleeves have these big, loose cables.
Easy to keep track of with a few stitch markers.
Sigh!
Love,
Ann
Clever!
Thank you!
Well! What an eye-opener! I definitely see the beauty of a life line as helpful in more ways than merely used for the frustration of frogging back to an error . You could add a lifeline “marker” to where you start decreasing for armholes or decreases for a v-neck, or rounded neck shaping as well as shaping for a cap sleeve. Also, for the equal placement of patch pockets.
Love lifelines… prob use them to much!
Well! What an eye-opener! I definitely see the beauty of a life line as helpful in more ways than merely used for the frustration of frogging back to an error . You could add a lifeline “marker” to where you start decreasing for armholes or decreases for a v-neck, or rounded neck shaping as well as shaping for a cap sleeve. Also, for the equal placement of patch pockets.
Yes!! Always enter my short rows a little anxiously because my focus ability is not what it used to be. This tip will lessen the stress. Thanks!
You guys. Honestly. Such a great tip!
For short rows I always do German short rows. I mark each row”double stitch” with a hanging marker so there is no mistaking that double stitch for 2 stitches when using tiny needles and dark yarn.
It may seam a bit cumbersome to do, but I love visual reminders in my knitting.
Can there ever be too many markers?
For some reason short rows intimidate me.
I say I need to knit them under supervision. Luckily, I have very patient knitting friends.
You can never have too many stitch markers. I love those little light bulb ones, I have about a hundred. All different colors.
Yowza, that’s a gamechanger! I recently ripped back 2/3rds of a yoke because I messed up the short rows due to inattention. Thanks for sharing.
Yesterday I put a lifeline in a sock (!) before starting the simple toe decreases (!!), something I’ve done more times than I can count. Because after ripping back and reknitting the same toe twice, the need to recapture 68 free and tiny stitches a third time seemed all too likely. Lifelines: there when you need them!
With socks I just use extra dpns and pick up the right leg of each stitch in the row I want end up at, and then rip. You end up ready to start knitting again.
Nice trick! I am going to share this with students. I use little coil-less safety pins for marking beginning, but this helps with big time ripping out. I agree that distraction can be the enemy of short rows. I had a very misshapen emotional support chicken when my mind wandered. Thanks!
Great tip for short rows
Thanks Ann for sharing this
Great tip and thanks for the concealer name! Along with knitting tips, I am always on the lookout for product tips. Will give both your suggestions a try!
so smart! Thank you!
Brilliant idea! I invariably drop a stitch that was wrapped or something & screw up the picking that stitch back up. Lifelines would have saved me more than once.
Great idea for our fragmented attention spans these days. I have found out the hard way that pride goeth before a fall, so I put lifelines in all the time though I’ve been knitting for many years. Put the lifeline in, use all the markers, put a marker on the right side of a garter stitch project.
Related, after twisting my cast on a few times (seriously, how!) on everything from a hat to a sweater, I have taken to knitting a few rows flat before joining, and using the tail to seam up that little bit. Amazing how much easier it is to avoid a twist if you have a few rows knit. Once you humbly accept your shortcomings, life goes a lot more smoothly!
Right on!
I am looking for avintagebabpullover all done in two pieces only. Ido not havaa computer. So if ever have exact pattern I need. Could it be emailed!???
Great. Idea! Please, continue to tell me things that I don’t know. Coveting that needle set!
wow, that is a great tip and I plan to use it. Thank you
Any. Vintage baby pullover the simplest pattern. Knit. !??? Two sides to sew up only!!!???
This may be a good pattern for you: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/classic-knit-for-kids-t-top-sweater
It’s the Oxfam children’s jumper pattern from the 1990’s. It’s a free pattern on Ravelry. It was knitted as a donation project to keep children warm around the world. Very easy knitting, 2 pieces, with seams from each side of the neck down to the wrist and then from the wrist to the underarm and down to the bottom of the sweater on each side. It may be available elsewhere online, so hopefully someone can find it and print it for you. Cheers!
Heaven knows I could use a concealer (on the entire acreage of my face) but my application procedure (think slapdash) wouldn’t be up to its name! Lorilee Beltman, however, I have discovered in the past, is really great. I am a member of the Society but can’t access her video at my current abode. I can’t remember, can I access it later using my magic password? Years ago when I asked my LYS staff how they could remember all those complicated patterns, they all yelled out “stitch markers!” And now to learn from you they work for short rows too! Thanks, Ann!
I always love your realness Ann! I am a big fan of lifelines and not a fan of short rows no matter how often I do them. It’s like my aversion to math-ing, it is what it is. I almost can’t wait to lifeline a short row. Almost
Marling with those colors is gorgeous!
Just read the comments and your column again. Adult ADHD! I read stitch counters when you said ‘lifelines’. No wonder my knitting has been deteriorating as of late. (In my defense, your last words were about using stitch markers for the cables).
Wow!! I never thought of this! Thanks for sharing such a great idea!
I love the combination but not so keen on the colors.
I use a “lifeline” to mark the first row of arm openings. Very helpful when the instructions following all the decreases say “work straight until X inches above the beginning of the armhole shaping.” Same trick works at the first row of sleeve cap shaping for traditional set-in sleeves.
This is great advice. So good to come here, to the positive spirit of MDK, and learn something new.
Your sweater is gorgeous, and who knew those colors would be so beautiful together. Thank you for the advice and inspiration!
I am a true believer in lifelines, stitch markers, row counters… whatever it takes to keep my place!
Ann, Laura Mercier cosmetics are just great! Thanks for the tip. I like to look good while I mess up my knitting!
For short rows, I do the japanes ones, I just leave the stitchmarkers at every turn … easy to see, how many I’ve done and are they equal at both sides
One clarification. I need even more help than Ann in this department. I put a first lifeline in when I separated for fronts and back. I put the second lifeline in before the short rows. How this helps me is that I needed to know how many rows I worked before I started the short row so that my left and right front match the back evenly.
A bonus is that that first lifeline also serves as a stitch holder. Thanks, Ann.
I have several knitting friends who always thank me for telling them about lifelines and brag about how they always use them now and how it saves much salty language and ripping out rows and angsty tears. Do I, however, use lifelines? Nope! I never remember until I’m at that oh, tartar sauce (SpongeBob’s salty language, I volunteer with 9 and 10 year olds at school) this really would have been better with a lifeline. Perhaps one day…
PS- I really like your treacle and rose combo.
Great idea and further suggestions.