Knitting How To Increase: Master Every Stitch Increase Technique For Garment Shaping
Increasing stitches in knitting allows you to transform flat panels into three-dimensional garments by adding width, shaping necklines, and creating decorative structural lines. Mastering both invisible increases like the Make One (M1) family and directional shifts like KFB (Knit Front and Back) ensures your finished projects feature clean lines and professional-grade structural integrity.
Preparing Your Toolkit for Precision Stitch Increases
Achieving flawless shaping relies on matching your increase method to the weight of your yarn, the density of your gauge, and the aesthetic demands of your stitch pattern. Structural increases must distribute tension evenly across the fabric without creating unwanted holes, puckers, or distorted stitch mounts.
- Essential tools and materials include a pair of straight or circular knitting needles matched to your yarn weight, a set of locking stitch markers to track shaping intervals, a flexible tape measure for accurate row-gauge verification, and a tapestry needle for weaving in tails during finishing.
- Mandatory prerequisite knowledge requires proficiency in reading basic knitting charts, executing standard knit and purl stitches, maintaining consistent yarn tension, and identifying the working yarn versus the stationary strands of the previous row.
- Estimated project benchmarks scale based on garment complexity, but mastering an increase method typically requires a 4-inch by 4-inch swatch practice session, taking approximately 15 to 30 minutes of focused execution.
Step-by-Step Guide to Executing Essential Knitting Increases
Step 1: Mastering the Knit Front and Back (KFB) Increase
The Knit Front and Back (KFB) is a visible, textured, and sturdy increase that adds one stitch by working into the front and then the back of a single stitch. Insert your right needle knitwise into the front of the next stitch on the left needle, and pull up a loop without slipping the original stitch off the left needle. Twist the left needle slightly to access the back loop of that same stitch, insert your right needle into this back leg, and knit it before finally dropping the original stitch off the left needle.
Pro-Tip: KFB creates a small bump resembling a purl stitch on the right side of the fabric, making it an excellent choice for textured borders or seaming edges where the bump can remain hidden.
Step 2: Executing Make One Left (M1L) and Make One Right (M1R)
The Make One (M1) family produces nearly invisible, leaning increases ideal for seamless sweaters, lace motifs, and top-down garment construction. To execute a Make One Left (M1L), use your left needle to pick up the strand between the stitch you just worked and the next stitch, lifting it from front to back. Insert your right needle into the front of this lifted strand from left to right, and knit it through the back loop to twist and close the gap. To execute a Make One Right (M1R), lift the same strand from back to front using your left needle, then insert your right needle into the back of this strand from right to left and knit it through the front.
Warning: Always verify your working direction before lifting the strand between stitches; picking up the strand in the wrong orientation creates unwanted eyelets and loose, sloppy ladder lines.
Step 3: Working Lifted Increases (RLI and LLI)
Right Lifted Increases (RLI) and Left Lifted Increases (LLI) anchor directly into the stitches of the row below, making them exceptionally stable for raglan sweater shaping. For a Right Lifted Increase, locate the stitch two rows below the next stitch on your left needle, insert your right needle into the right leg of that stitch, and knit it. For a Left Lifted Increase, find the stitch one row below the last stitch you knitted on your right needle, lift its left leg onto the left needle, and knit it through the back loop.
Pro-Tip: Lifted increases integrate seamlessly into stockinette stitch fabrics because they pull their tension from the existing stitch column rather than borrowing slack from the horizontal yarn between stitches.
Reading Your Knitting 3: Recognizing Increases and Decreases — My ...
Comparison of Popular Knitting Increase Techniques
| Increase Method | Visibility / Aesthetic | Lean Direction | Best Used For |
|---|---|---|---|
| KFB | Visible bar/bump | Neutral | Seams, garter stitch, textured borders |
| M1L | Nearly invisible | Left-leaning | Raglan lines, lace, sweater bodies |
| M1R | Nearly invisible | Right-leaning | Raglan lines, symmetrical sleeve shaping |
| RLI | Clean, integrated | Right-leaning | Top-down pullovers, heavy-duty shaping |
| LLI | Clean, integrated | Left-leaning | Cardigan fronts, structural armholes |
| YO (Yarn Over) | Decorative hole | None | Lace knitting, decorative eyelet bands |
Troubleshooting Common Shaping Errors and Structural Flaws
- Root Cause: Large, unsightly holes appearing where you executed a Make One increase.Actionable Fix: Ensure you are knitting the lifted strand through the back loop (for M1L) or front loop (for M1R). Twisting the strand is mandatory to close the gap between the adjacent stitches.
- Root Cause: Rippled or puckered fabric along a shaping line due to tight tension.Actionable Fix: Relax your grip on the working yarn when pulling up the new stitch. Practice maintaining an even loop height on your needle tip before sliding the stitch onto the working shaft.
- Root Cause: Asymmetrical shaping or leaning the wrong direction on a V-neck or raglan line.Actionable Fix: Memorize the directional mirror rule: use right-leaning increases (M1R or RLI) on the right side of your garment section, and left-leaning increases (M1L or LLI) on the left side.
- Root Cause: Dropping a stitch while attempting a complex lifted or KFB increase.Actionable Fix: Insert a locking stitch marker immediately below the working area before starting your increase row. If a stitch drops, use a crochet hook to ladder the dropped stitch back up along its exact column.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest increase for beginner knitters to learn?
The Knit Front and Back (KFB) is widely considered the easiest increase because it utilizes basic knit stitches you already know. You simply work twice into a single stitch, eliminating the need to pick up floating strands or manipulate stitches from previous rows.
How do I know whether to use a left-leaning or right-leaning increase?
Symmetrical garment shaping requires mirrored increases to maintain visual balance along seams and edges. Use right-leaning increases on the right edge or right side of a central marker, and left-leaning increases on the left edge or left side of a marker.
Why does my knitting have holes after making an increase?
Holes typically occur when using a Yarn Over (YO) instead of a closed increase like an M1 or KFB, or by failing to twist the strand when executing a Make One increase. Always verify that your working needle twists the picked-up yarn to lock the base of the stitch.
Can I substitute one increase method for another in a pattern?
Yes, you can substitute increase methods as long as you maintain the directional lean specified by the designer. Swapping a KFB for an M1 will change the fabric texture from bumpy to smooth, so ensure the visual change suits your project's aesthetic goals.
How do I count my increases when working on a large garment?
Keep track of your shaping progress by using locking stitch markers every time you complete an increase row, or tally your rows on a separate row counter. Always count your total active stitches at the end of every repeat section to guarantee accuracy.
Elevate Your Knitting Skills With Expert Techniques
Mastering diverse increase methods empowers you to tackle complex garment construction, custom tailoring, and intricate lace design with total confidence. Explore our advanced pattern library to put your new shaping skills into practice today.
