w&t — Wrap and turn (Abbreviation)

w&t stands for "wrap and turn" — the instruction that anchors a mid-row turning point in short-row shaping (see wrap-and-turn for the full mechanics), preventing the hole that would otherwise open up wherever a row stops short of its actual end.

What the instruction is asking for

"K12, w&t" means knit 12 stitches, loop the working yarn snugly around the very next stitch, then turn and continue back the other way — that loop is what pins the gap shut right at the pivot point, rather than leaving it to open into a hole once the row keeps going past it.

Why the wrap needs a second step later

A w&t doesn't finish its job the moment it's worked — the wrap it creates sits around its stitch's base until a later row reaches that same point again and works the wrap together with its stitch, hiding it into the fabric. Skip that later pick-up step, and the wrap stays visible as a small bar rather than blending in, even though the hole itself was successfully prevented.

Where it shows up

Sock heel turns, shoulder slope shaping, and any shawl or garment section relying on short rows to add height to one part of a row while leaving the rest untouched.

Related abbreviations

• sl — slipping a stitch, the first physical action within the wrap sequence itself

FAQ

Does w&t always use the same wrap technique regardless of stitch pattern? The core wrap mechanic is consistent, but knit-side and purl-side wraps are worked with slightly different needle motions, and picking them up later follows correspondingly different steps — see the wrap-and-turn technique page for both versions in full.

Is w&t the only way to work a short row, or are there alternatives? No — German short rows solve the same hole-at-the-turn problem with a different mechanism (a snugged "double stitch" instead of a separate wrap), and some patterns specify one method or the other by name rather than leaving the choice open.