Convert Stairsteps to a Smooth 3-Needle Bind-Off Shoulder

This summer, I've knitted two simple tees that feature shoulder seams that extend down into cap sleeves. After finishing up the first project and finalizing my project post on Ravelry, I saw that someone else who had knitted the same design had converted the shoulder seam stairstep bindoffs to short rows, which allow the shoulder seams to be finished with the 3-needle bind-off technique. I've done this before and immediately realized that it would have been preferable, mostly because it is so much easier to bind off that seam than to sew it.

So now, working on my second project, I'm adopting this approach and documenting it here in hopes that typing it up will fix it in my memory as something that is not difficult and AVOIDS SEWING SEAMS!! These long shoulder seams are very visible, and the 3-needle bind-off is easy to do and provides a basically perfect result.

The primary thing to keep in mind is that the decreases in the short rows happen at the end of the row rather than at the beginning. So if the instructions say to bind off X stitches at the beginning of the row, you simply replace that by leaving X stitches unworked at the end of the short row.

The pattern I'm working on right now is the Simple Tee by Churchmouse Yarns and Teas. In this pattern, the shoulder shaping starts before the neck shaping, so for the first few rows, you can just do the needed decreases on the opposite ends of the row. Once the neck shaping kicks in, if the pattern calls for decreases at the beginning of a right-side row, you have to execute those decreases instead at the end of the following wrong-side row. And likewise, if the pattern calls for decreases at the beginning of a wrong-side row, you execute those decreases at the end of the following right-side row.

It probably sounds confusing, but once you have your pattern in front of you, it's much easier to visualize.

Here's an example doing traditional wrap-and-turn short rows where shoulder shaping is taking place before neck shaping begins:
PATTERN SAYS: Row 1 (RS): Bind off 5 sts, K to end. Row 2 (WS): Bind off 5 sts, P to end.
INSTEAD: Row 1 (RS): Knit to 5 sts before end, wrap and turn. Row 2 (WS): Putl to 5 sts before end, wrap and turn.

This does get a bit complicated once the neck shaping kicks in, but it's worth it.

Once all the decreases have been made, knit (or purl) across the final row to pick up the wraps and then put the stitches on holders to bind off once you're ready to join shoulder seams.