Knitting Technique: How to Wrap & Turn

Ever see the abbreviation w&t on a pattern and wonder what it means?  If you bought my Birds in Flight Socks pattern you may have, because I forgot to define it.  (I appreciate the patterns that define the less-common knitting techniques…But if you work short-row heels as often as I do, maybe this one doesn’t seem uncommon.)

Anyhow, w&t means wrap and turn—you’re wrapping the last unworked stitch with the working yarn and turning your work.  Here’s a tutorial with photos:

1. Knit to the last unworked stitch (or wherever your pattern calls for you to wrap and turn—it’s not just for socks, you know) and move your working yarn in front.  (If you’re purling, bring the working yarn to the back of your work.)

  
2. Now slip the next stitch (the stitch to be wrapped) from your left needle to the right needle, keeping the working yarn in front.

  
3. Now turn your work.

 

4. Slip the stitch to the wrapped from the left needle to the right needle.

5. And start working back across the row, in this case, purling. 

The white line highlights the wrapped stitch on the wrong side of the fabric:

Here’s what it looks like from the right side of the fabric:

See the little wrap?  So cute.  And functional!  In another tutorial I’ll explain how to pick up these wraps when turning the heel of a short-row sock.  You won’t want to miss it!