More Increases

But Lynda, you pipe up, What if I have to do increases on both sides of my piece? How do I do that and make them look nice? I'm so glad you asked that question, because now we get into the realm of paired increases. Paired increases are done so that they are mirror images of each other, on either side of your fabric.

The first one that comes to mind - the most commonly used one - and one that bridges the gap between paired increases and the K1f&b and the YO, is the M1, or Make 1. A M1 can be done three ways. The first way to make a M1 is not directional, and I call it the 'Afterthought Yarn-Over'. Mostly because that is how I use it, when I am working a lace pattern, realize that I have left out a yo on a previous row, and need to suddenly slap that yo into place. With all versions of M1, you start by using your right needle to pick up the bar of yarn that runs in between the stitches on your right needle, and the next stitch on your left needle, like so..



Knit that one wide open, just as you would do for a yo. If you compare it to the yo's that were worked on the swatch earlier, you can see that it looks just the same.



But what if you don't want a hole where you worked your increase? Well, there are the paired M1s. These are worked twisted so that they don't leave a hole...

The first one is made by putting your left needle under that same strand of yarn, from back to front, so that the left leg of the loop is on the front of your left needle.



Knit that front leg as usual, so that the new stitch is twisted. This one is worked at the beginning of a knit row, on the right edge.



To work its twin, on the left edge, you will insert your left needle under that same strand of yarn, this time from front to back. See how it leaves the right leg on the front of the needle?



Knit this one through the back of the loop, in order to twist the stitch and close up the hole.



M1 on the left edge, after working three more rows. You can just see the twisted stitch about 3 rows below the needle, and four stitches in from the edge.



M1 on the right edge, after working three more rows. See the twisted stitch about 3 rows down, and four stitches in from the edge? The M1 can also be called a Raised increase, NOT to be confused with a Lifted increase, which I am about to show you.



To work a Lifted increase, we are going to work into the purl bump from previous rows. This increase can be used on either a knit or a purl row, but I will show it to you from the purl side first, because I think this will make it more obvious what you are doing. Here I am working one on the right edge, by inserting the tip of my left needle into the second purl bump down, on the last stitch worked on the right needle. Lift this purl bump up, and purl into it.




On the left edge, you will poke the tip of your right needle into the first purl bump down of the next stitch to be worked on your left needle. Purl into that loop.



So, to do the same thing from the knit side, on the right edge you are going to go behind the knitting and poke the tip of your left needle into the second purl bump down of the stitch you have just worked on your right needle. See how the left leg of the stitch is to the front of your left needle? Knit into the back loop (the right leg) so that the stitch does not become twisted.



On the left edge, you will take your right needle, go behind your knitting, and pick up the first purl bump below the next stitch on your left needle. Knit into it.



If you look at the after photos, you can barely see where the Lifted increase comes from. Of all the increases we have looked at so far, this is the least obvious of them all, the one that leaves the smallest footprint. That makes the Lifted increase my favorite go-to, all-round increase for all occasions.







I have more increases for you next time...