The technique described in this tutorial is an often overlooked way to increase stitches in knitting. We used this increase as part of the Criss-Cross Bind Off Edging, but it is such a simple and versatile method that it definitely deserves to be featured in a separate tutorial.
What makes this increase so helpful? A few things – it allows us to add new stitches to the work without pulling stitches in the previous row, it does not make a hole, and it can create stitch patterns with amazingly rich texture.
We’ll take a look at those stitch patterns at the end of this tutorial, but first, let’s see how this way to increase stitches works step-by-step.
RIGHT-LEANING PULLED INCREASES
STEP 1
Work to a place where you plan to add a new stitch to the work.
STEP 2
Insert the tip of the right needle from front to back into the space between the first two stitches on the left needle.
STEP 3
Wrap the right needle with the working yarn as we do when we knit a stitch.
STEP 4
Pull the wrap through the fabric to form a new stitch.
Then knit the first stitch from the tip of the left needle.
If you make these increases in every other row and place them on top of each other, they will form a lovely textured line that looks a lot like a braid. To make sure the strands lay flat, purl the new stitches in the wrong side rows.
But that’s not all. If we make these increases at every stitch and then work the new stitches together with their neighbours in the next row, we can easily form beautiful highly textured patterns.
WATCH EVERY STEP IN THIS VIDEO TUTORIAL
(if you don’t see the video, turn off the ad blocker in your browser)
Here are instructions for two basic patterns that we can create this way – one based on stockinette stitch, the other based on garter stitch.
STOCKINETTE STITCH WITH PULLED INCREASES
Row 1 (right side): [make a pulled increase and knit 1], work brackets to the last stitch, knit the last stitch.
In this row, the number of stitches almost doubles, but don’t worry, we’ll take care of all extra stitches in the next row.
Row 2 (wrong side): [purl 2 stitches together], repeat brackets to the last stitch, purl the last stitch.
Now the number of stitches is back to the number we had before we started to work the first row.
Repeat these two rows to make a stitch pattern like the one shown in this photo:
Because this pattern is based on stockinette stitch, the top and bottom edges of the fabric tend to curl up. If you plan to use this stitch pattern to make a scarf or a blanket, add a few rows of ribbing or garter stitch at the edges of your project.
GARTER STITCH WITH PULLED INCREASES
Row 1 (right side): [make a pulled increase and knit 1], work brackets to the last stitch, knit the last stitch.
Just as was the case with the previous stitch pattern, the number of stitches increases dramatically in this row. No surprise there – after all, we are making new stitches before every stitch of this row except the first one.
Row 2 (wrong side): knit 1, [knit 2 stitches together], repeat brackets to the end of the row.
Now we are back to the initial number of stitches.
Work these two rows to form the pattern.
Surprisingly enough, this stitch pattern looks better on the wrong side of the work. If you plan to use it as a decoration on a sweater or any other project, work row 1 in a wrong side row. This way, the better-looking wrong side of the stitch pattern will show on the right side of the project.
Of course, there are numerous variations of these two stitch patterns. You can apply the same idea to add texture to ribbing, seed stitch, moss stitch or any other stitch pattern. Each variation will affect the look and the feel of the fabric, so get creative and experiment.
We can also use this approach to make pulled increases that slant to the left.
Here’s a tutorial that explains how we do it step by step.
SAVE FOR LATER
This and 41 other in-depth tutorials are part of Knitting Collection #4.
