Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Easy Ways to Increase Stitches in Knitting

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While many knitters will make a scarf or a washcloth as their first knitting project, once you have the basics down you might want to add some shaping. There are lots of different ways to increase (and decrease!) stitches in knitting.

Usually a pattern will tell you which increase you should use, and the designer will have chosen that one for an aesthetic reason. For example: yarn overs make holes. Make 1 looks different from knit in the front and the back, which looks different from just casting on an additional stitch.

So, if the pattern you’re knitting calls for a particular increase, be sure to use that one.

If the pattern doesn’t give you a specific increase to use, you can use the one that you prefer. Knit in the front and back is usually a good choice, but it does leave a little bump so it’s not as invisible as a make 1 stitch.

I wrote an overview of all the most basic increase methods and why you (or a designer, which could also be you) might choose one over another, which you can read over at Our Daily Craft.

If you’re just learning how to knit and how to do these increases, working through each of them in a swatch like I did for the photos in that post can be helpful because you can get practice and see how the different increase compare visually to each other.

I admit it in that post but if a designer doesn’t specify what increase to use or if I’m just making something for myself and I don’t want to put too much thought into it, I’ll use a backward loop cast on stitch in place of a regular increase. They’re relatively invisible, totally easy to do, and you can do it anywhere it a row or round with no problems.

Do you have a favorite increase method? I’d love to hear about it!

Have you read?

Free Knitted Crown Pattern for Kids and Adults: A Sweet Handmade Dress-Up Idea

There’s something wonderfully charming about a knitted crown. It’s playful, useful for the dress-up basket, and just the sort of small project that gives a leftover ball of yarn a proper purpose. Much better than letting it roll around the cupboard for another three years.

This free knitted crown pattern for kids and adults combines a simple garter-stitch band with shaped triangular points. The mustard-gold colour gives it that storybook crown look, although pink, purple or woodland green would be equally lovely.

A Manageable Next Step for Beginner Knitters

The construction is the appealing part of this design. Everything is knitted flat, so you won’t need double-pointed needles or experience joining stitches in the round.

You knit the band first, then work each crown point separately over a group of 12 stitches. Paired decreases gradually narrow each triangle, giving you a small, repeatable section to concentrate on.

I’d describe this as a confident beginner knitting project. You’ll need to know how to knit, work two types of decreases, hold unused stitches and sew a simple seam. There are several yarn tails to weave in, so a little patience with finishing will help.

Three Sizes With Room to Personalise

The pattern includes three sizes, with seven, eight or nine crown points. Choose by the wearer’s head measurement rather than age, and check your gauge carefully. Yarn stretch will make a noticeable difference to the fit.

For birthdays, an embroidered initial would be a sweet finishing touch. Contrasting yarn diamonds could suggest little jewels without adding hard embellishments.

What to Know Before Casting On

This is a soft knitted crown, so expect gentle points rather than a rigid costume accessory. A springy wool or wool-blend yarn should give the shaping more support than a very drapey yarn.

The stitch calculations have been checked, but the design has not yet been sample-knitted. The accompanying image is an illustrative mockup, so the finished texture and proportions may vary with your yarn and tension.

For a small handmade birthday accessory or a cheerful addition to the dress-up box, this is an appealing idea. And if an adult needs a matching crown for supervising the royal household, the larger size has that covered too.