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Increase, Decrease

99 Step-by-Step Methods; Find the Perfect Technique for Shaping Every Knitting Project

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By Judith Durant

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The secret to knitting great-fitting hats and shaping elegant sleeves lies in using the right increase or decrease techniques. Approachable and insightful, Judith Durant provides clear instructions and step-by-step photographs that showcase swatches for each technique. From working shaped lace to adjusting necklines, you’ll soon have a go-to strategy for successfully tackling knitting challenges of all shapes and sizes.

Excerpt

For Mom.
Thank you for teaching me to knit
all those many years ago. Who knew
it would lead to here?



Contents

Title Page

Dedication

Introduction

Part One: Increase

1. Neutral Increases

Open Neutral Increases

Closed Neutral Increases

2. Right- and Left-Leaning Increases

Paired Increases

3. Multiple-Stitch Increases

Multiple Increases in One Stitch

Multiple Increases between Stitches

4. Centered Double Increases

Open Centered Double Increases

Closed Centered Double Increases

Part Two: Decrease

5. Single Decreases

Paired Single Decreases

6. Double Decreases

Paired Double Decreases

Vertical Double Decreases

7. Multiple Stitch Decreases

Reducing Four Stitches to One

Reducing Five Stitches to One

Part Three: Combinations and Special Circumstances

8. Increase and Decrease for Decorative Effect

Bobbles

Ruching

Closed-Ring Cables

Textured Patterns

Lace

9. Special Circumstances

Shaping Textured Patterns

Shaping Lace Patterns

Shaping Color Patterns

Common Abbreviations

Common Symbols

Index

Acknowledgments

Other Storey Titles You Will Enjoy

Copyright

Share Your Experience!



Introduction

My mother taught me to knit when I was eight years old. I took to it immediately, and I like to say that my first project was a dishcloth and my second was a blue cabled sweater to go with the kilt I'd just sewn for myself.

There may have been a step or two between, but you get the picture. While I enjoyed working all kinds of decorative patterns, it wasn't until the 1990s, when I worked for Interweave Press, that I began to understand the more intricate technical aspects of knitting. During 30 years of knitting, when I needed to increase a stitch, I knit (or purled) into the front and back of the same stitch, no matter what I was working. And when I needed to decrease a stitch, I knit (or purled) two stitches together. In retrospect I find this somewhat alarming in view of all the very meticulous sewing I did for myself and my career as a theatrical costume designer.

I can remember like it was yesterday that during the interview process for my job as book editor at Interweave, Linda Ligon, founder and president, asked me to write reviews of several Interweave knitting books. One I criticized for the lack of an easy-to-find glossary of techniques used. "I've been knitting for many years and I can follow most patterns, but what is an ssk? I've searched for a definition in the book and can find none." The criticism was valid; a good knitting book must define the terms it uses so that it is accessible to beginners and experienced knitters alike. But in retrospect, I'm mortified that I really did not know what was meant by ssk.

And that is where the fun started. When I saw that knitting two stitches together created a decrease that leans to the right and that slipping two stitches and knitting them together through the back loop created a decrease that leans to the left, I understood just how haphazard my knitting had been to that point. And it wasn't too long before I could tell you why those two slipped stitches in an ssk decrease should be slipped knitwise rather than purlwise if you want the decrease to mirror exactly a k2tog (knit two together). Eventually k2tog and ssk were joined by seven other pairs and a variety of double decreases. The same thing happened with increase methods, and my shaping repertoire continued to grow.

Many patterns are written with nonspecific instructions for increasing and decreasing. For example, when widening a sleeve that is worked from the wrist to the shoulder, the instructions may say, "Con­tinu­ing in pattern, increase at the beginning and end of every other row 12 times, then every fourth row 4 times." These increases are usually worked on the right, or public, side of the work, and the informed knitter will choose two increases that are mirror images, that is, one increase will lean to the right and the other will lean to the left. But what if you have to increase on every third row, meaning that some increases are worked on the right side, while others are worked on the wrong, or private, side of the work? Several pairs of increases that are worked knitwise (on the right side) also have purlwise versions (worked on the wrong side) that will look the same as the knitwise increases when viewed from the right side. Amazing.

I also learned that there's not a pat method for every circumstance, so sometimes we need to be creative when sizing up how to reduce or increase stitches, especially when working with textured or multicolored patterns. I've included a section called Combinations and Special Circumstances that explores how to customize shaping for specific patterns (see ).

This book presents what I've learned about increasing and decreasing over the past 20 years. Try swatching the various methods so you understand fully how they work. Keep this book handy so you can refer to it and choose the perfect method for any situation. I hope you have as much fun discovering the ins and outs of increasing and decreasing as I did.

Knit on,



Part One

Increase

Options abound when it comes to increasing to widen your knitted fabric. You may want your increasing stitches to make a decorative statement, or you may opt for a more subtle, nearly invisible approach. Here are 36 different ways to add stitches to a row of knitting. Some increases are open, forming a decorative hole in the work. Many increases are closed, making them somewhat invisible; some of these lean to the right, some lean to the left, and others are neutral. There are single increases, which add one stitch to the work; double increases, which add two stitches; and multiple increases, which add three or more stitches to the work. Some increases are worked into an existing stitch; some are worked into the yarn between two stitches; and some stand alone, meaning they are formed with the working yarn. Ready?



Chapter 1

Neutral Increases

Neutral increases are those that do not lean to the left or the right, but are neutral, or vertical, in appearance. These can be used when you don't need paired or mirror-image increases, such as when you want to increase a number of stitches evenly across a row.

Open Neutral Increases

These increases will form a decorative hole in the work. They can be used anywhere you need to add a stitch, as long as the open hole creates the desired effect.

  • • Open Yarnover Increases
  • • Open Bar Increases

Closed Neutral Increases

These increases form an unobtrusive new stitch between two existing stitches. Leaning neither right nor left, they can be used anywhere you need to increase a stitch.

  • • Backward Loop Increases
  • • Closed Yarnover Increases
  • • Working into Front and Back of Same Stitch
  • • Working into Back and Front of Same Stitch
  • • Knit and Purl into Same Stitch
Open Neutral Increases

Open Yarnover Increases

Known in knitting language as a "yo," the stand-alone yarnover increase is formed by wrapping the yarn over the right needle between two stitches. A yarnover is most commonly used in lace or other openwork knitting as part of a decorative pattern, but it can also be used to increase stitches. For example, you can place a yarnover after the first and before the last stitch on every other row to form a triangle, as for a shawl. When used for increasing, the yarnover is most commonly used before a knit stitch. When used in lace, the yarnover can be used before a knit or a purl stitch.

Characteristics

  • Forms decorative hole.
  • Formed with working yarn between stitches.

Uses

  • Decorative increasing.
  • Eyelets and lace patterns.

    Worked in stockinette stitch, yarnover increases will look the same whether they are worked on the knit or the purl rows.

Open Yarnover (yo) before a Knit Stitch

  1. 1. Bring the yarn to the front between the needles.
  2. 2. Move the yarn up and over the right needle to the back, in position to knit the next stitch.
  3. 3. Knit the next stitch.
  4. 4. When you come to this strand on the next row, you may either knit or purl the strand, depending on the pattern.

Open Yarnover (yo) before a Purl Stitch

  1. 1. Bring the yarn up and over the right needle to the back.
  2. 2. Bring the yarn between the needles to the front, ready to purl the next stitch.
  3. 3. Purl the next stitch.
  4. 4. When you come to this strand on the next row, you may either purl or knit the strand, depending on your pattern.
Open Neutral Increases

Open Bar Increases

This increase, like the yarnover (see here), will form a decorative hole in the work and can be used wherever that effect is desired. It is worked into the strand that lies between two stitches, and it looks the same as a yarnover except that the hole may be slightly smaller. You can also use an open bar increase if you forgot to perform a yarnover in the previous row.

Characteristics

  • Forms a decorative hole, slightly smaller than a yarnover hole.
  • Formed with strand between two stitches.

Uses

  • Decorative increasing.
  • Eyelets and lace patterns.
  • Replaces forgotten yarnover.

    Worked in stockinette stitch, open bar increases will look the same whether they are worked on the knit or the purl rows.

Open Bar Increase on a Knit Row

  1. 1. Insert the right needle under the bar or running thread between the stitch that is on the right needle and the stitch that is on the left needle from front to back.
  2. 2. Wrap the yarn under, then over the right needle.
  3. 3. Pull a loop through the picked-up strand, creating a new knit stitch.

Open Bar Increase on a Purl Row

  1. 1. With yarn in front, insert the right needle under the bar or running thread between the stitch that is on the right needle and the stitch that is on the left needle from back to front.
  2. 2. Wrap the yarn over, then under the right needle.
  3. 3. Push the yarn through the picked-up strand, creating a new purl stitch.
Closed Neutral Increases

Backward Loop Increases

This is the same technique that is sometimes used to cast on stitches. While the stitch is vertical, the right leg of the increased stitch will cross the left when added on a knit row, then purled on the next row; and the left leg will cross the right when added on a purl row, then knitted on the next row. The increase is completely neutral when worked in garter stitch.

Characteristics

  • Forms tiny gap between stitches below.
  • New stitch is vertical with left or right leg in front.
  • Formed with working yarn between stitches.

Uses

  • Adds unpaired extra stitch between existing stitches.
  • Adds paired stitches to the beginning and end of a widening piece.

Increases in the lower half of the swatch are worked on knit rows; increases in the top half of the swatch are worked on purl rows.

The increases on the right of the swatch are added on knit rows, and those on the left of the swatch are added on purl rows.

Backward Loop on a Knit Row

  1. 1. Make a loop of working yarn around your left index finger from back to front.
  2. 2. Insert the right needle from front to back into the front of the loop.
  3. 3. Remove your finger and tighten the loop to create a stitch on the needle.
  4. 4. Knit or purl the stitch on the next row, depending on the pattern.

Backward Loop on a Purl Row

  1. 1. Make a loop of working yarn around your left index finger from front to back.
  2. 2. Insert the right needle from back to front into the back of the loop.
  3. 3. Remove your finger and tighten the loop to create a stitch on the needle. Knit or purl the stitch on the next row, depending on the pattern.

Backward Loop to Add Stitches to the End of a Row

Proceed as above, working the number of knit or purl stitches needed.

Closed Neutral Increases

Closed Yarnover Increases

These increases begin the same as the open yarnover increases, but rather than allowing them to form a hole, you twist the stitches on the following row. You may use these in combinations as paired increases, but the differences are subtle.

Characteristics

  • Nearly invisible with tiny hole below the new stitch.
  • New stitch is vertical with the left or the right leg in front.
  • Formed with working yarn between stitches.

Uses

  • Adds unpaired extra stitch between existing stitches.
  • Pair knit versions 1 and 2.
  • Pair purl versions 1 and 2.
  • Pair knit version 1 and purl version 2.
  • Pair knit version 2 and purl version 1.

Increases are made with knit version 1 and distributed evenly across rows.

Increases at right are made with knit version 1 (the left leg of the new stitch crosses the right leg), and the increases at left are made with knit version 2 (the right leg of the new stitch crosses the left leg).

Increases at right are made with purl version 2 (the left leg of the new stitch crosses the right leg), and the increases at left are made with purl version 1 (the right leg of the new stitch crosses the left leg). Viewed from the knit side, the increases look exactly like those in the previous swatch, made with knit versions 1 and 2.

Closed Yarnover (yo) Increase on a Knit Row, Version 1

This begins the same as the knitwise open yarnover increase.

  1. 1. Bring the yarn to the front between the needles.
  2. 2. Move the yarn up and over the right needle to the back in position to knit the next stitch.
  3. 3. Knit the next stitch.
  4. 4. When you come to this strand on the next row, purl the strand through the back loop.
  5. In the new stitch formed, the left leg crosses the right leg.

Closed Yarnover (yo) Increase on a Knit Row, Version 2

  1. 1. Bring the yarn up and over the right needle from back to front.
  2. 2. Bring the yarn between the needles to the back in position to knit the next stitch.
  3. 3. Knit the next stitch.
  4. 4. When you come to this strand on the next row, purl the strand through the front loop.
  5. In the new stitch formed, the right leg crosses the left leg.

Closed Yarnover (yo) Increase on a Purl Row, Version 1

This begins the same as the purlwise open yarnover increase (see here).

  1. 1. Bring the yarn up and over the right needle to the back. Move the yarn between the needles to the front in position to purl the next stitch.
  2. 2. Purl the next stitch.
  3. 3. When you come to this strand on the next row, knit the strand through the back loop.
  4. In the new stitch formed, the left leg crosses the right leg.

Closed Yarnover (yo) Increase on a Purl Row, Version 2

  1. 1. Bring the yarn between the needles to the back.
  2. 2. Move the yarn up and over the right needle to the front in position to purl the next stitch.
  3. 3. Purl the next stitch.
  4. 4. When you come to this strand on the next row, knit the strand through the front loop.
  5. In the new stitch formed, the right leg crosses the left leg.
Closed Neutral Increases

Working into Front and Back of Same Stitch

Almost as invisible as the Closed Yarnover Increases, the new stitch formed by this neutral increase will have a horizontal bar at its base and be on the left of the existing stitch. This is a good increase to use when increasing evenly across a row of knitting. If you want to use the front and back increase when you are increasing at the beginning and the end of several rows, for example, when shaping a sleeve, work the beginning kfb (knit into the front and back of the same stitch) increase on the right side and the pfb (purl into the front and back of the same stitch) ending the increase on the wrong side. This will keep the bumps formed by the new stitches to the inside of the stitches used to form them. If your purl stitches are a bit tighter than your knit stitches, like mine are, the kfb increase will be slightly more pronounced than the pfb, but they are structurally the same.

Characteristics

  • Formed in existing stitch.
  • Small horizontal bar at bottom of increased stitch (to left of existing stitch).

Uses

  • Adds unpaired extra stitch.
  • Pair knitwise (kfb) and purlwise (pfb) at the beginning of each row.

Kfb increases are spread evenly across several knit rows. The horizontal bars at the bases of new stitches appear as little bumps.

Kfb is worked in the first stockinette stitch of right-side rows, and pfb is worked in the first stockinette stitch of wrong-side rows. If you are increasing at the beginning and end of garter stitch rows, work kfb on both right- and wrong-side rows.

Working into Front and Back on a Knit Row (kfb)

  1. 1. Knit into the front of the next stitch, but leave the stitch on the needle.
  2. 2. Bring the right needle behind the left needle.
  3. 3. Insert the right needle into the back of the same stitch from right to left.
  4. 4. Knit the stitch again.
  5. 5. Drop the original stitch from the needle.

    The new stitch is formed to the left of the old stitch.

Working into Front and Back on a Purl Row (pfb)

  1. 1. Purl into the front of the stitch, but leave the stitch on the needle.
  2. 2. With yarn in front, bring the right needle behind the left needle.
  3. 3. Insert the right needle into the back of the same stitch from back to front.
  4. 4.

Genre:

  • “The ultimate reference on shaping… this is an important addition to every knitting bag.” –Margaret Radcliffe, author of The Knowledgeable Knitter

    “I adore technique books that help me understand the construction of my stitches. Judith demystifies increases and decreases, helping make us better, more educated knitters.” –Laura Nelkin, knitting designer and author of Knockout Knits

On Sale
Jun 1, 2015
Page Count
256 pages
Publisher
Storey
ISBN-13
9781612123325

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Judith Durant

Judith Durant

About the Author

Judith Durant is the editor of the best-selling One-Skein Wonders series, which currently includes seven volumes; the author of Cable Left, Cable Right, Increase, Decrease, and Knit One, Bead Too; and the co-author of Knitting Know-How. Durant has been knitting for more than 50 years and has been writing and editing for more than 30 years. She currently lives in Lowell, Massachusetts.
 

Learn more about this author