Making short work of short rows

My very first scarf involved short rows.  Not that I did them on purpose mind you, I just couldn't keep the front and back of the work straight if I happened to put it down in the middle of a row.  When I finally realized what I was doing, I thought I had been accidentally brilliant - creating an innovative technique, never discovered by anyone else. 

Boy, was I wrong. As I learn more about knitting, I learn that there are many variations one can do to a stitch to get just the look you want.

After making a few quarter-moon shawls that feature short rows, I wasn't super happy with the finished result of simple short rows, knitting together your last and first stitch when you come back.  It looked a bit sloppy and obvious to my eye, but not thinking there was an alternative I carried on.

See where the lace transitions into the body of the scarf - the highlighted change in direction?  That's where the short row joins.  It looks sloppy.  Trust me.

Again, wrong.  If there is an aesthetic look that can be solved, chances are some creative knitter has thought about it before you.  To the internets!

After stumbling upon the prolific TECHknitting, my short row aversion has been solved.  In a wonderful step by step guide, she takes you through four different short row possibilities.  I love her illustrations, and will certainly be going back for more tutorials and ideas!

(this image belongs to the TECHknitter.  go check her out!)

Here's my current WIP hanging out with a set of bobby pins to hold the turn loops.  We'll see how it turns out, but I have a good feeling about this one!