As soon as I shared with you a method that forms a beautifully textured right-leaning increase, I received a number of requests for a matching left-leaning one.
You are absolutely right to look for a left-leaning diagonal increase. This pair of increases is perfect for forming raglan lines of top-down sweaters and cardigans, and for making all kinds of mirrored shaping.
After quite a few trial-and-error runs I am happy to show you a way to make a left-leaning increase that is a mirror version of the right-leaning diagonal increase.
WATCH EVERY STEP IN THIS VIDEO TUTORIAL
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First, we work to a spot where we want to add a new stitch to a project.
Then, we follow three simple steps.
STEP 1
Make a “slip, slip, knit” decrease. The classic version works fine, but I prefer a simplified version of this method. This approach saves us one step and creates the same look as the classic way to make this decrease.
You can watch how the simplified “slip, slip, knit” works when you follow this link, but to explain this method in a nutshell, we slip one stitch knitwise to the right needle, then return this stitch purlwise to the left needle, and as we do that, we push the right needle a bit farther so that it enters the next stitch on the left needle. Then we wrap the tip of the right needle with the yarn and knit these two stitches together through the back loop.
It does seem a bit counterintuitive to start an increase by decreasing one stitch, but it is necessary for making a thick background that will prop the diagonal stitch, and make it more prominent.
STEP 2
Even though this decrease is important for creating the vivid texture of the diagonal increase, it does remove one stitch from the work. To compensate for that, we are going to add a new stitch in this step.
To make sure this stitch does not form a hole, we’ll make a reverse yarn over by bringing the yarn from the back, over the top and to the front of the right needle.
STEP 3
This is the step when we form a diagonal pulled stitch that is the highlight of this increasing method.
3.1. We start by inserting the tip of the left needle from front to back into a spot that is at the right-hand side of the “slip, slip, knit” decrease.
You will also find this spot when you place the tip of the left needle between the second and the third stitches from the tip of the right needle, and then move the left needle one row down.
Then we wrap the tip of the left needle with the working yarn from the top, to the right and to the bottom of the needle.
3.2. Push the yarn wrap through the fabric to form a pulled stitch, then pull it some more to make this stitch long enough to lie on top of the fabric without constraining it.
3.3. Insert the tip of the right needle from left to right under the back leg of the pulled stitch.
Then ease the left needle out slipping this stitch to the right needle.
Continue to work in the main pattern of your project to the end of the row or round.
In the next row, purl the pulled stitch and the reverse yarn over as usual, through the front loop.
If you add this increase to a project worked in the round, knit the pulled stitch and the reverse yarn over in the next round.
HERE’S A VIDEO TUTORIAL THAT SHOWS EVERY STEP
This increase is a mirror version of the increase formed by the right-leaning diagonal increase method. We can use them when we shape shawls, skirts, and armholes of top-down sweaters.
To form raglan lines, separate these increases with one or more stitches, or add them right next to each other for a more dramatic decorative effect.
SAVE IT FOR LATER
This and 31 other in-depth tutorials are part of Knitting Collection #8.
