Easy Ways to Increase Knitting Stitches

How many different ways to increase knitting stitches do you know?

I feel like most knitters start out with the simple knit in the front and back, also known as kfb, because if you know how to make the knit stitch it’s not that hard to wrap your brain around knitting in the back loop of the same stitch. Kfb is quick and easy, but the bar of that stitch knit through the back loop makes it quite visible when worked on stockinette stitch. It’s less visible on garter stitch.

Using a backward loop cast on to increase stitches is another common way for new knitters to increase, especially if you started knitting by learning this cast on. I don’t actually love backward loop as a cast on for a full project because it’s really loose and floppy and can be hard to work into. (I much prefer the knit cast on for beginners because it’s easy to learn, more stable and once yo know how to do it you know how to knit.)

And then there’s yarn overs. If you want your increase to not only be visible but decorative, yarn overs are the way to go. I love a raglan seam shaped with yarn overs, which offer a little ventilation and decoration. Of course yarn overs can be used for strictly decorative purposes coupled with decreases, but they can also be used to add stitches.

How about make one? These increases are made by working into the yarn that sits between two stitches, and they can be made to lean to the left or the right. (I always, ALWAYS forget which is which and have to look it up every time.)

You’d think that would be enough, but there are actually even more options for increasing knitting stitches you might want to know about. This post from Nimble Needles provides an overview of more than a dozen different kinds of increases. Some of them are used in very particular situations like brioche knitting or stacked stitches, but there are plenty of them that you can use in your everyday knitting.

I’m definitely going to try the make two (pictured above) soon; I’d never heard of that one!

See any new to you increase options?

[Photo: Nimble Needle.]

Increases and Decreases for Lace Knitting

Your Quick Reference Guide to Common Increases and Decreases

How Do You Read a Knitting Pattern?

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Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four.

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

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Have you read?

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