This is a post that I've been planning to write for a good long while. It details the increase methods most used in my range of Little Cotton Rabbits patterns, with pictures for each method and details of their specific characteristics so that they can be compared and contrasted. I've also put together a PDF file that you can download to keep or print out if preferred, Download Increases.
A comparison of increases:
The table above compares six paired and mirrored increases. As you can see they are grouped vertically according to the direction in which the increase stitch leans (either to the left or to the right) and also grouped horizontally as matched symmetrical pairs which mirror each other.
All of the left leaning increases above can be substituted for each other without having to adjust the written pattern. This is because they are all made in the space between two existing stitches. The exact same goes for all of the right leaning increases. However, because each of these increase methods have a different impact on the stitches around them it is worth taking the time to understand the characteristics of each when deciding which will make the best substitute.
Below is a piece of knitting that compares the three left leaning increases detailed above, showing the impact that each of these increases has on the rows above and below it.
All three left leaning increase stitches are made on the blue row in the centre of the work. You can see how:
A: M1A impacts the row that the increase is made on, and creates the first full stitch on the pink row above
B: M1L impacts the row directly below in gold, and creates the first full stitch on the current row
C: KLL impacts and distorts the 2 rows below in pale yellow and gold, and creates the first full stitch on the current row
If you are making the increases in a pattern of lateral colour change stripes you will want to consider whether you start the stripes on the row prior to the increases or on the increase row itself as your stripes will either have neat transitional lines or steps depending on which of the increase methods you choose to use and where you place them.
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Left Leaning Increases:
KLL: Knit Left Loop (also known as LLI: Left Lifted Increase):
Method: Knit into the left leg of the stitch two rows below the stitch you have just worked by inserting the tip of left needle into the stitch from behind and bringing the loop onto the left needle. Insert the tip of the right needle into the back of the loop and knit, so making an extra stitch.
One of the ‘lifted increases’, this is an increase to use when what matters most is invisibility, and it works particularly well for knitted toys which are going to be firmly stuffed, as it creates a nice tight fabric without a gap for the stuffing to show through. Along with its symmetrical pair (KRL) this is the tightest increase method, giving the least visible result.
This is an increase best used on single colour stocking stitch. It does not work well with stripes as it distorts the two rows below the increase, so you need to be aware of that when planning the placement of any stripes.
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M1L: Make 1 Left:
Method: With the left hand needle pick up the connecting strand between the two needles from the front and knit into the back of the loop. If you find this too tight for your liking you can substitute M1A (make one away) which will give a looser increase.
This is probably the most popular left leaning increase method and uses the strand that runs between two stitches that are already on the needle. If you are a tight knitter this can be quite fiddly to work, so it helps to use needles with very pointed tips. Because you are using the strand that connects two already worked stitches this can cause these stitches to be slightly distorted, as it takes a little length of yarn from them both. To minimise this try to use the narrow tip of the needle when working the increase rather than stretching the connecting strand by pulling it all the way on to the needle.
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M1A: Make 1 Away:
Method: Make a loop with the working yarn over the right needle tip so the tail is pointing backwards/away from you. On the following row you purl into this loop as normal in order to create a new stitch.
This creates a similar increase to M1L above but makes the increase one row later in the work and a little looser as the connecting strand between stitches is wrapped around the needle and so has more length to it. This results in a slightly more visible hole which can be minimised if you wrap the yarn tightly.
Its a nice increase to use on clothing as it stretches well and causes less distortion to the stitches around the increase.
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Right Leaning Increases:
KRL: Knit right Loop (also known as RLI: Right Lifted Increase):
Method: Knit into the right leg of the stitch one row below the next stitch on the left needle. Do this by inserting the tip of the right needle into the stitch from the back and bringing the loop up onto the left needle, then knit this loop as normal, so making an extra stitch.
One of the ‘lifted increases’. This is an increase to use when what matters most is invisibility, and it works particularly well for knitted toys which are going to be firmly stuffed as it creates a nice tight fabric without a gap for the stuffing to show through. Along with it’s symmetrical pair (KLL) this is the tightest increase method, giving the least visible result.
This is an increase best used on single colour stocking stitch. It does not work well with stripes as it distorts the two rows below the increase so you need to be aware of that when planning the placement of any stripes.
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M1R: Make 1 right:
Method: With the left hand needle pick up the connecting strand between the two needles from behind and knit into the front loop to create an extra stitch. If you find this too tight for your liking you can substitute M1T (make one towards) which will give a looser increase.
This is probably the most popular right leaning increase method and uses the strand that runs between two stitches that are already on the needle. If you are a tight knitter this can be quite fiddly to work, so it helps to use needles with very pointed tips. Because you are using the strand that connects two already worked stitches this can cause these stitches to be slightly distorted, as it takes a little length of yarn from them both. To minimise this try to use the narrow tip of the needle when working the increase rather than stretching the connecting strand by pulling it all the way on to the needle.
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M1T: Make 1 towards:
Method: Make a loop with the working yarn over the right needle tip so the tail is pointing forwards/towards you. Note: In order to get a neat finish you will need to purl into the back loop of this stitch on the following row.
This creates a similar increase to M1R above but makes the increase one row later in the work and a little looser as the connecting strand between stitches is wrapped around the needle and so has more length to it. This results in a slightly more visible hole which can be minimised if you wrap the yarn tightly.
Its a nice increase to use on clothing as it stretches well and causes less distortion to the stitches around the increase.
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Other Increases:
KFB: knit front and back:
This is probably the method of increasing that most people learn when they are first starting out with knitting, possibly because it is so simple. It does however make a very visible bar at the base of the increase stitch and so is not the best choice if you want a neat and tidy finished result to your work, (it is also know as a bar increase).
You work it by simply knitting into a stitch as normal and then before slipping that stitch from the left needle you knit into the stitch again, but this time through the back leg, so creating two stitches from one.
Because all of the other increase methods detailed here work by creating an increase stitch between two existing stitches it is not possible to simply substitute KFB without making adjustments. So if a pattern reads:
K2, KLL, K1, KLL (5 stitches)
then in order to use KFB instead of the KLL increase you would need to work:
K1, KFB, KFB (5 stitches).
The KFB increase does have it’s uses as a decorative increase, and I do use it occasionally in my patterns for this reason.
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Other sources of information and tutorials:
There are lots of tutorials and videos available on the internet that demonstrate how to work these increase techniques. These can form an invaluable resource for any knitter who wants to hone their craft. Because it’s not length of time that creates an experienced knitter, but the depth and breadth of their knitting skill base.
Here are a few of my favourite sites which have either good video or step by step tutorials for these increase methods (and many other knitting techniques too):
