“Make one” is arguably the most popular increase in knitting. And there is a good reason for that – this way to increase stitches is simple and easy-to-remember. It doesn’t create a hole and works well in most situations.
Usually, there increases are made on the knit side of the work, but sometimes we need to make an increase that adds a purl stitch, not a knit one. It happens when we make increases in every row, or when the fabric is worked in a reverse stockinette stitch.
Even though the slant of the increase is hardly visible on the purl side of the fabric, it matters when the increases are building increasing lines on the knit side of the project.
WATCH EVERY STEP IN THIS VIDEO TUTORIAL
(if you don’t see the video, turn off the ad blocker in your browser)
That’s why there are two ways to “make 1 purl” – make 1 purl right and make 1 purl left. The name is determined by the slant of a strand that is formed underneath the newly-formed stitch.
In both cases, the new stitch is purled from a strand between two stitches.
Let’s see how it works step by step.
MAKE 1 PURL RIGHT
This variation of make 1 purl increase is the easier of the two. That’s why we use it whenever the slant of the increase is not important to the overall look of the project.
STEP 1
Work to a spot where you need to add a new stitch, and insert the tip of the left needle from back to front under the strand that is stretched between the first stitch from the tip of the left needle and the first stitch from the tip of the right needle.
The helpful phrase “I’ll be right back” applies here just as it applies to the“make 1 right” increase on the knit side of the fabric. Whenever we want to make a right-leaning “make 1” increase, we go under the strand from the back.
STEP 2
With the yarn at the front of the work, insert the tip of the right needle from right to left into the picked-up strand.
STEP 3
Wrap the tip of the right needle with the yarn and pull the wrap through to make a purl stitch.
MAKE 1 PURL LEFT
STEP 1
Once you work to the spot where you need to add a new stitch, insert the tip of the left needle under the strand between the first stitch on the left needle and the first stitch on the right needle. This time, do it from front to back.
STEP 2
With the yarn at the front of the work, insert the tip of the right needle from left to right under the back leg of the picked-up strand.
If the strand is tight, it might be difficult to insert the needle under its back leg.
If it happens, pull the strand a bit up to make it bigger and move it closer to the tip of the left needle. This will make it easier to purl this strand through the back loop.
STEP 3
Wrap the needle with the yarn and pull the wrap through to form a purl stitch.
If you make paired increases to shape a raglan line, a V-neck of a top-down sweater or add the mirrored increasing lines to any other part of your project, work the “make 1 purl right” increase at the right side of the fabric, and “make 1 purl left” at the left side.
HERE’S A VIDEO TUTORIAL THAT SHOWS EVERY STEP
The increasing lines won’t be very prominent on the purl side of the work, but they will look lovely on the knit side of the project.
SAVE IT FOR LATER:
This and 36 other in-depth tutorials are part of Knitting Collection #7.