What Does w&t Mean in Knitting
w&t stands for "wrap and turn" — a short row technique. Short rows add extra length to part of your knitting without adding rows to the whole piece, and they're used in shoulder shaping, sock heels, bust darts, and anywhere you need a three-dimensional curve. The wrap exists to prevent a hole from forming at the turning point. Here's exactly how to work it, and how to pick up the wrap when you come back.
Why Short Rows Exist
When you turn your knitting mid-row and work back in the other direction, you create extra rows in just that section. The fabric in that area is taller than the fabric on either side — which curves it.
The problem: turning mid-row without any technique creates a visible hole where the turn happened. The wrap-and-turn method prevents this hole by wrapping the yarn around the base of the turning stitch before you turn. When you work back past that point on a later row, you pick up the wrap and knit it together with the stitch — closing the gap.
How to Work w&t on a Knit Row
- Knit to the turning point specified by the pattern.
- Slip the next stitch from the left needle to the right needle purlwise (as if to purl, without working it).
- Bring the yarn from back to front — between the needles to the front of the work.
- Slip the stitch back from the right needle to the left needle purlwise.
- Take the yarn from front to back — you've now wrapped it around the base of that stitch.
- Turn your work. The wrapped stitch is now the first stitch on the left needle.
- Purl (or continue in pattern) to the next turning point.
How to Work w&t on a Purl Row
- Purl to the turning point.
- Slip the next stitch from the left needle to the right needle purlwise.
- Take the yarn from front to back — between the needles to the back of the work.
- Slip the stitch back from right to left needle.
- Bring the yarn from back to front — you've wrapped the stitch on the wrong side.
- Turn your work and continue in pattern.
Picking Up the Wrap — Hiding It
When you work across the full width of the piece again and reach a wrapped stitch, you pick up the wrap to prevent a visible bump.
On a knit row: Insert the right needle tip under the front leg of the wrap (the horizontal bar sitting at the base of the stitch), then into the stitch itself. Knit both together as if they were one stitch. The wrap disappears into the fabric.
On a purl row: Use the right needle tip to pick up the back leg of the wrap from the back (insert from behind), then purl together with the stitch. This is more awkward — the needle angle is tight. Take your time.
If you can see a small bump or ridge where the wrap is, pull the working yarn snugly after you've worked the wrap-and-stitch together. The bump is usually due to the wrap sitting too loosely on the surface.
Why Modern Patterns Use German Short Rows Instead
German short rows (GSR) achieve the same short row shaping without creating a wrap that needs to be picked up. Instead of wrapping, you turn the work and then pull the first stitch up over the needle tip until both legs sit on the needle — creating a "double stitch" that looks like two loops. When you later reach this double stitch, you work both legs together as one stitch.
Most knitters find German short rows simpler because there's no separate pickup step. The double stitch is also visually obvious — you can't accidentally skip it. Many modern sock, raglan, and shawl patterns specify German short rows by default.
If your pattern says w&t and you'd prefer German short rows, you can substitute them — the shaping result is identical. Work the turning sequence using the German method, and when you reach the double stitch, knit or purl both legs together.
When w&t Appears in Patterns
Sock heel flaps and heel turns: The classic heel turn uses short rows to create the cup shape that cradles the heel. The w&t version is older; modern sock patterns often specify German short rows or a heel-specific method like the Fish Lips Kiss Heel.
Shoulder shaping: Sloped shoulders use short rows to taper the shoulder line before bind-off, creating a shape that matches a natural shoulder slope rather than a blunt stair-step.
Bust darts: Extra rows added to the front of a garment at bust height, creating depth for a better fit on a curved body.
Circular shawls and mitered squares: Short rows create the directional shaping in modular and geometric knitting.
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