Short Rows (Wrap and Turn) (w&t)

Intermediate Technique

A shaping technique that turns mid-row to add fabric in one area, wrapping the turned stitch to avoid a hole.

Work in pattern to the point in the row where your pattern tells you to turn.
Slip the next stitch purlwise onto the right needle.
Bring the yarn between the needles to the front (if you were knitting) or back (if you were purling), then slip the stitch back onto the left needle.
Turn your work and continue in pattern in the opposite direction — the yarn has now wrapped around the base of that stitch.
When you later work back across the wrapped stitch, pick up the wrap with the tip of your needle and work it together with the stitch it wraps, to close the gap invisibly.

The wrap is what prevents a hole from forming at the turning point — skipping it leaves a visible gap where the row stopped short.
Short rows add fabric only to part of a row, which is exactly what makes them useful for curved shaping like heels or bust darts, where straight rows can't add width in just one area.
On a right-side wrap, pick up the wrap from below and knit it together with its stitch; on a wrong-side wrap, pick it up and purl it together — the mechanics mirror each other.