The geometry of growth: three ways to expand your knitting
In short: To create a garment that flares or shapes, you must master the art of increasing stitches. While it sounds simple, different techniques yield vastly different textures—ranging from invisible seams to decorative holes. Choosing the right method determines whether your work looks like a professional garment or a rustic craft.
Increasing is the fundamental mechanism for expanding fabric dimensions in knitting. The most common 'basic' method is the yarn over, where you wrap the working yarn around the needle before inserting it into the next stitch. Because this creates an extra loop of yarn that wasn't part of the original stitch structure, it naturally leaves a visible hole in the fabric. This makes it a decorative choice rather than a structural one.
For a more seamless expansion, knitters often use the 'knit one front and back' (K1FB) method. Rather than finishing a stitch by letting the previous loop fall from the needle, work into its front face, rotate your tool, and then knit through the rear side of that identical stitch. This results in two stitches emerging from one original point. The source notes this method is favored for its fast rhythm and because it leaves only a tiny 'welt' rather than a hole.
The most sophisticated technique is the M1 (make one) increase, which aims for total invisibility. This involves identifying a small bar of yarn between two stitches on the needle. By scooping up this bar with the tip of the left-hand needle and knitting into it, you create a new stitch. Because the bar lacks the full amount of yarn required for a standard stitch, the resulting increase can be tight, but it allows the fabric to grow without any visible evidence of where the new stitches were added.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: How to Increase a Stitch | Knitting
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