Crochet Short Rows: What they are, when and how to use them

There are certain crochet terms and techniques which have an aura of mystery and confusion around them. Crochet ‘short rows’ used to fall into this category for me.

I thought working short rows was a super advanced crochet skill, not to be trifled with. That was until I started to learn about what working short rows in crochet actually involved.

Spoiler, it’s easier than you might think…

Once you pull off the mask and look the crochet monster in the eye, you realise that the short row technique is not that scary. It’s actually an incredibly useful tool that will help you to achieve all kinds of crochet magic.

In this article my goal is to dispel this confusion, explain what short rows are and demonstrate some of the different ways you can use them in your crochet projects.

I’ll also link to some crochet patterns which use short rows, so if you want to give them a try you have somewhere to start.

What are Crochet Short Rows?

Crochet short rows are exactly what the name suggests. They are rows of crochet stitches which are shorter than other rows surrounding them.

The short rows are arranged, stacked or staggered, to create curves, shaping and 3d forms within your crochet fabric.

You might find it helpful to think about short rows as placing additional partial rows in specific areas where you want to create more fabric.

Typically you start with crocheting shorter rows in a specific area of the fabric, then subsequent rows get longer and longer, increasing at the end of each row, until the desired shaping is achieved. I go into this in a lot more detail in the tutorials, so don’t worry if that seems abstract at the moment.

I’ll start by outlining some examples of crochet projects that use short rows. Following that, I have made a photo tutorial which demonstrates two of the ways you can crochet them. I’ll finish with an FAQ on crochet short rows to mop up any remaining questions you might have.

I’ve introduced short rows in this way because I think it’s useful to see how they are used first, then you have some practical context in mind when you learn how to crochet them.

Short rows can often be found in semi-oval or crescent shaped crochet shawls, where they are used to create the elongated curved shape. In such cases, you want more rows in certain parts of the shawl than others.

There are plenty of crochet projects that use short rows in this ‘localised’ way.

Another common example of this is to use short rows at the back neck of top-down crochet yoke garments. This allows the back of the sweater rise up to sit straight across the back neck and shoulders (and avoid the potential for a crafty neck).

It’s not the clearest picture of the short rows, so if you want to dig in deeper to the method I used here, check out the CAL page which has links to the lives where I discuss this approach – Week 7 is where I got into short rows.

Body Shaping

Short row shaping is incredibly useful for adding body shaping to garments, most commonly in the bust or hip area, including bust darts on the vertical and horizontal.

I also used short rows to create the shaping on the sleeves as they were worked side to side rather than top down or bottom up.

When working any garment side to side, short rows are often the key to getting shaping in the desired places.

This applies to accessories like hats too. The Fisherman’s Winter Beanie Hat is worked from side to side and uses a simplistic version of short rows to create the crown shaping – only in this case, they are sewn together to form the crown.

Creating 3d shaping with crochet short rows

You can use short rows to create sculptural and dimensional shapes which allow for a more tailored fit in crochet garments.

The Short Stories Cardigan uses short rows to create a join-as-you-go style set-in sleeve cap. (It was this design that sent me deep into this short row rabbit hole!). The sleeve cap curves around the shoulder to create a fitted look, removing bulk at the underarm.

I have a separate video tutorial demonstrating how to crochet these sleeve caps:

Crochet sleeve cap tutorial right handed

Crochet sleeve cap tutorial left handed

Another place where you want a tailored and close fit is the heel of a sock.

One of the common ways to construct a crochet sock is to use the short row heel flap method, as I did in the Step On Sock Pattern.

So now you have a few common examples of where crochet short rows can be used, I’ll explain how to make them.

You may already be working a project using short rows, so might find it useful to bear that in mind when following the tutorial.

Crochet Short Row Step by Step Photo Tutorial

The tutorial below is split into two separate parts, so that I can show you two of the most common approaches to short rows.

The first tutorial demonstrates ‘single ended’ decreasing short rows, where the row length only varies (decreases in this case) on one end of the row (the top of the two swatches in the picture below).

This is followed by a picture tutorial showing how to crochet double ended / double sided short rows. This where the length of each row changes (in this case increases) on both ends of the row (the bottom of the two swatches in the picture below).

This technique leads to more 3d shaping and will not remain flat.

For both tutorials, I have started with 3 rows of 15 single crochet worked in blue aran weight yarn. The short row section is crocheted in cream yarn for contrast.

In some of the pictures, you will see my fingers, I am not pointing at anything, I’m just holding the swatches in place as when they are this small they tend to curl, so ignore my digits!

In this tutorial, there is no wrong side or right side as the back of your work is the same as the front of your work.

The photos are right handed and the descriptions use US crochet terms.

This first row (the foundation row or set-up row) is always a shorter row than the main piece you’re working on.

Row 2: Chain 1 (which does count as a stitch here), skip the first sc and work 6 single crochet to the end of the row, turn. 7 sts in this row.

Up to now, e have been creating shorter and shorter rows. Now the short row decrease section is done, we’ve ‘filled in the gap’ so to speak. In the next step we’ll work over the short rows and row ends to ‘seal’ the shaping. The goal is to end up with the same number of stitches we started with.

This is the end of the short row shaping, meaning your next row can be worked as ‘normal.’

I have switched back to blue yarn for the final row of the swatch (below) so you can see where the shaped piece is.

You can see how extra fabric has been created in just that cream section of the swatch by using this short row method.

If you want a larger short row area, you can add extra rows into the short row section, either starting with longer foundtion row and making more short rows, or decreasing each subsequent short row until you have fewer stitches left. The principle remains the same now matter how many rows you crochet.

Row 2 is the shortest row. the first ‘short row proper’ if you like. In the next few rows, you extend the end of each subsequent row by one stitch, reaching towards the edges of the swatch to create the shaping.

When working double ended short rows, use a stitch marker in the first stitch of each row so that you can see where to work when you come back to crochet into it later.

I want to pause here to offer a slight variation (which I use moving forward). When you move from working a single crochet into the marked at the end of the row, and then a single crochet into the next underworked stitch, there is a bit of a ‘step’ between the row heights.

If you want to smooth out the curve a little more, you can replace the single crochet worked into the marked stitch with working a single crochet 2 together into the last marked stitch and the row end of the same row.

This just helps neaten out the transition … and will definitely make more sense when you have your project in front of you. It’s not essential so don’t get stuck in the weeds with it, but it would be remiss of me not to offer it as an opportunity!

Okay, back to the tutorial!

Row 7: Chain 1 (counts as a stitch), skip first stitch, 1 single crochet in each stitch up to marked stitch, place marker in the first stitch of the row (the ch1), 1 single crochet in the marked stitch, remove this marker, 1 single crochet in the next unworked stitch on the set up row (blue row). 11 stitches so far…

To finish the swatch and ‘seal’ the final row ends, I’ve switched back to blue yarn.

So there we have two approaches to using short rows. The first, using rows of decreasing length, the second, setting up with the shortest rows and then using short rows of increasing length.

The step on sock pictured is a free pattern in the adult small size (with six sizes available in the premium pdf pattern.

Crochet Short Rows FAQs

Below I have answered a couple of commonly asked questions about crocheting in short rows. If you have any questions left, please do drop them in the comments and I will add them to the list.

Can you crochet short rows in any stitch?

Yes, you can use any crochet stitch to make short rows, with some forward planning. The issue you need to consider, is how to minimise the ‘step’ at the end of previous short rows. This is directly related to the different stitch heights you’re working with.

With the examples above which use single crochet, this isn’t too much of an issue because single crochets are short stitches, so working into the row end, then dropping down to work into the previously unworked stitch can be fairly easily hidden; especially if you’re using a chain 1 as a stitch and using a single crochet 2 together to navigate the transition, as discussed the tutorials.

However, if you’re working with a taller stitch, like double crochet or even taller stitches, then the ‘step’ is going to be more obvious. To get around this, you could graduate the stitches in height.

You might start the row with shorter stitches, like a single crochet, followed by a half double crochet, then go into working your double crochets. You would finish the row the same way but in reverse; dc, hdc, sc, with the last and shortest stitch being made into the ‘unworked stitch.

This way, when you come to work the end of the row and into the unworked stitches, the transition will be much smoother.

I find working slip stitches (which count as sts) and single crochets at the start and end of short rows a nice way to smooth this curve,

I use this approach in crochet designs like the Short Stories Cardigan pattern and the Winter Solstice Dress.

Can you crochet short rows in the round?

As the name suggest, short rows are made in rows.

If you’re working on a project that is worked in turned rounds, short rows can work quite well, adding shaping to a top down round yoke sweater for example.

However, if you are crocheting a project in continuous or unturned rounds, then the short rows will stick out a bit like a sore thumb! This is because crochet stitches look different when worked in rows vs continuous un-turned rounds.

One way around this would be to work each short row without turning; i.e. join new yarn at the start and fasten off at the end of each row.

Some projects, mosaic crochet for example, can use a new strand of yarn each row, so it’s not unimaginable to do this. But be prepared to sew in the ends – or use the method on a project where you can hide them inside!

Got more questions about short rows? Drop them in the comments 🙂

I hope you’ve found this foray into crochet short rows useful and are more confident about using them in future projects or working with crochet patterns which do use them.

Happy Hooking

Dx