Chapter 8 Learn to increase and Decrease Stitches

Knitting has a major advantage in terms of shaping the fabric while it is being constructed. This shaping can be done by increasing or decreasing the stitches. There are different ways of increasing or decreasing practiced by hand knitters the world over, but the basic principle remains the same. The principle in increasing the stitches is to knit two stitches from one loop, or to wind the yarn around the needle to create extra loop, but this has to be done carefully to avoid the formation of holes in the fabric. The principle involved in decreasing the stitches is to knit two stitches together, to reduce the number of stitches. Again this must be done carefully so that it forms a pattern and does not look abrupt. Increasing stitches: Stitches need to be increased mostly to shape sleeves, to make toys, gloves and socks, to make beautiful lace edgings, etc. Basically increases are done to widen a certain area when the number of cast-on stitches is less and you need more fullness at a certain point. They can also be a decorative detail. 1. INC1(Increase 1) in this kind of increase, knit one stitch as usual but do not drop the stitch from the left hand needle, instead insert the needle in the back of this stitch to knit once more and then drop the stitch. 2. M1 (Make 1)- in this kind of increase, insert the left hand needle into the strand just created after knitting, between the right hand and left hand needles (Fig 1), Knit into the back of this loop (just created) to twist it and prevent a hole. 3. YO (Yarn over) If a YO is between two knit stitches, then knit 1, bring the yarn in front, take it back again and knit the next stitch, this gives an extra stitch. This gives eyelets in the fabric, refer to chapter 6. YO can be between K and P, P and K, P and P, the only principle is that it should create an additional loop or stitch on the right hand needle, so that when you knit the next row, the number of stitches is more than the previous row.

Figure 1Make 1 increase

Learn to increase and decrease stitches By Toolika Gupta

Decreasing stitches: Stitches need to be decreased mostly to shape hats and caps, to make toys, to make tips of gloves and to narrow down to the toes of socks, etc. Basically decreases are done to narrow a certain area by reducing the number of stitches. They can also form decorative detailing near the edge. By using different techniques, your decreases can slant to the left or right. It can work as a beautiful detail in a raglan sweater for example. 1. K2tog (Knit 2 together)- This is the simplest way of decreasing. Just as you are knitting on a knit row, instead of knitting in one stitch, insert the needle in two stitches together and knit one, dropping the two down after knitting. This reduces one stitch. 2. P2tog (Purl 2 together) If you want to reduce in a purl row, then instead of purling in one stitch, which is usually done, insert the needle in two stitches and purl them together, thereby decreasing one stitch. 3. SSK (Slip, Slip, Knit) This is very much like K2Tog, here first you slip two stitches from the left hand needle to the right hand needle, insert the left hand needle back into these two and knit 1. This gives an opposite slant to K2Tog. 4. S,K,psso (Slip, Knit, Pass slipped stitch over) In this slip 1 stitch on to the right hand needle, then knit the next stitch, now insert the left hand needle into the slipped stitch and bring it forward over the knit stitch and drop it (see chapter 6). This will reduce one stitch.

Figure 2Decrease by knitting 2 together

Refer to the chapter on projects (Chapter 10) to see the effects of decreasing and increasing the number of stitches.

Learn to increase and decrease stitches By Toolika Gupta