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Make 1 Increase

The most versatile increases to use in double knitting are those that 

  • preserve the alternate stitch order of the 2 sides of the fabric on the knitting needles and
  • don't reveal the opposite yarn strand on the facing side of the fabric. 

One good increase that does this is the Make 1 Increase.  The Make 1 increase creates a new stitch using the running thread between the stitch on the right needle and the stitch on the left needle.

The Make 1 increase has both a right-leaning and a left-leaning implementation.  Because you will be working both sides of the fabric at the same time, you will always work this increase in right-lean/left-lean pair of matching stitches.

We illustrate both slants below in a matching pair.

 

Make 1 (Left Leaning)

 

Step 1:  Insert left needle from front to back under the running yarn indicated.

In this example:  We are increasing on the FACING side of the fabric, and we are inserting the needle under the running yarn of the FACING yarn.  Of course, it is possible to do a left leaning M1 increase on the opposite side of the fabric as well.

Step 2:  Knit or purl into the BACK loop of the running thread just lifted on the left hand needle, using the yarn indicated in the instructions.

Review the Position of the Working Yarn tutorial as a reference for yarn positioning.

In this example:  We are KNITTING  into the back loop of the FACING running thread using the OPPOSITE yarn.  Directions will specify this if it is desired that the new stitch on the facing side be of different color.


Make 1 (Right Leaning)

 

Step 1:  Insert left needle from back to front under the running thread indicated. 

In this example:  We are increasing on the OPPOSITE side of the fabric, and we are inserting the hook under the running yarn of the OPPOSITE yarn.  Of course, it is possible to do a right leaning M1 increase on the facing side of the fabric as well....

Step 2:  Knit or purl into the FRONT loop of the running thread just lifted on the left hand needle, using the yarn indicated in the instructions.

Review the Position of the Working Yarn tutorial as a reference for yarn positioning.

In this example:  We are PURLING  into the front loop of the OPPOSITE running thread using the FACING yarn.  Directions will specify this if it is desired that the new stitch on the opposite side be of different color.