When I published a tutorial about right-slanting pulled increases, I received several requests for a tutorial about a method that forms a mirror version of these increases – same look but with a slant to the left.
If this method exists, I wasn’t able to find it, so I tested several approaches and one of them did produce a left-leaning increases that look just like a mirror version of the right-slanting increases we discussed earlier.
WATCH EVERY STEP IN THIS VIDEO TUTORIAL
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Here’s how this method works step by step.
STEP 1
Work to a spot that is one stitch before the place where you plan to add a new stitch. Bring the working yarn to the back of the work.
STEP 2
Insert the tip of the right needle from left to right into the first stitch on the left needle.
Ease the left needle out slipping this stitch knitwise to the right needle.
STEP 3
The way we make a new stitch in this step is a bit unusual, but it is not difficult at all, especially when we break it into several micro steps.
Insert the tip of the left needle from front to back into the space between the first two stitches from the tip of the right needle.
Bring the working yarn from the back of the tip of the left needle to its front and then to the back of the work, wrapping the left needle from back to front.
Pull this yarn wrap through the fabric to form a “pulled” stitch.
STEP 4
In this step, we’ll return the stitch that we slipped to the right needle in step 2 and knit this stitch through the back loop. We’ll do it in the most efficient way. Here’s how:
Insert the tip of the left needle from left to right into the first stitch from the tip of the right needle so that the left needle is at the front of the right needle.
Wrap the tip of the right needle with the yarn the same way as we do when we knit a stitch.
Pull the yarn wrap through knitting this stitch through the back loop, then slip the just-knitted stitch off the left needle.
STEP 5
Insert the tip of the right needle from right to left into the “pulled” stitch and ease the left needle out slipping this stitch purlwise to the right needle.
Then continue to work in the main pattern of your project to the end of the row or round.
When we make these increases in every other row or round and stack them on top of each other, they form a pretty textured line of increases that slant to the left.
To keep this line consistent, purl the newly-formed stitch in the next row, or knit it in the next round if you add these increases to a seamless project.
HERE’S A VIDEO TUTORIAL THAT SHOWS EVERY STEP
This way to increase stitches is not as fast as the popular “make 1” increase, but the result we get is much more beautiful and is totally worth the effort.
If we pair these increases with the right-leaning pulled increases, we’ll form a lovely line of fanned out increases. This approach works great for shaping raglan lines of top-down sweaters as well as shaping crowns of top-down hats and decorating shawls.
SAVE IT FOR LATER:
This and 31 other in-depth tutorials are part of Knitting Collection #8.
