How to Increase Knitting - Briana K Designs

There are many reasons you will want to learn different types of increases in knitting. From shaping garments to lacework, knitting increases are essential to knitter’s skills. Do you want a left or right-leaning increase? Or how about a center increase? This post will help you learn how to increase knitting and which style works best for your knit project.

How to Increase Knitting Supplies:

Make One Right (M1R)

The Make One Right, abbreviated M1R, increase stitch is a right leaning increase. It uses the horizontal bar between two stitches to increase by one.

Step 1:

Insert the left needle under the strand between the left and right needles from back to front, lifting the horizontal strand onto the needle.

Step 2:

With the working yarn in the back, insert the right needle through the front of the stitch.

Step 3:

Wrap the yarn under, then over the right needle to knit the stitch. This is one right-leaning knit stitch increase.

Make One Left (M1L)

The Make One Left, abbreviated M1L, increase stitch is a left leaning increase. It uses the horizontal bar between two stitches to increase by one.

Step 1:

Insert the left needle under the strand between the left and right needles from front to back, lifting the horizontal strand onto the needle.

Step 2:

With the working yarn in the back, insert the right needle through the back of the stitch.

Step 3:

Wrap the yarn under, then over the right needle to knit the stitch. This is one left-leaning knit stitch increase.

Make One Right Purlwise (M1RP)

The Make One Right Purlwise, abbreviated M1RP, increase stitch is a right leaning increase purlwise. It uses the horizontal bar between two stitches to increase by one.

Step 1:

Insert the left needle under the strand between the left and right needles from back to front, lifting the horizontal strand onto the needle.

Step 2:

With the working yarn in the back, insert the right needle through the front of the stitch.

Step 3:

Wrap the yarn under, then over the right needle to purl the stitch. This is one right-leaning purl stitch increase.

Make One Left Purlwise (M1LP)

The Make One Left Purlwise, abbreviated M1LP, increase stitch is a left leaning purl increase. It uses the horizontal bar between two stitches to increase by one.

Step 1:

Insert the left needle under the strand between the left and right needles from front to back, lifting the horizontal strand onto the needle.

Step 2:

With the working yarn in the back, insert the right needle through the back of the stitch.

Step 3:

Wrap the yarn under, then over the right needle to purl the stitch. This is one left-leaning purl stitch increase. (This looks like a M1L when viewed from the knit side)

I hope you enjoyed learning a few different ways of How to Increase Knitting. Check out my other knit tutorials for even more knitting tips and methods.