In this section you will practise how to shape your knitted fabric by making a new stitch in your knitting, i.e. make 1 increase. Make a practise swatch as described below to practise this increase technique before applying your new skill to a project.

 

The abbreviations used in the instructions to practise a Make-1 Increase are as they would appear in a standard knitting pattern. If you have worked through the tutorials and practise sessions for the basic stitches, you should be now able to knit and purl quite well and should have no problem following the notation to produce your swatch. You also need to know how to do Simple Decrease to make the swatches in this section.

 

Buy Knit Knack Knitting Tutorial on CD ROM for just £11.99 to learn how to knit and video demonstration of this technique.

 

Hexagon Garter Stitch Swatch

- make 1 increase knitwise

 

 

Abbreviations used in this pattern:

 

M1 = increase by Make 1 method -

see Knitting Basics/Shaping/Increasing

K = knit, followed by number of stitches to knit
P = purl, followed by number of stitches to purl

k2 tog = knit 2 stitches together i.e. Simple Decrease

see Knitting Basics/Shaping/Decreasing

 

Cast on 12 stitches

 

Row 1: Knit
Row 2: K1, m1, k10, m1, k1 [14 sts on needle]
Row 3 and all foll alternate rows:   Knit.
Row 4: K1, m1, k12, m1, k1 [16 sts]
Row 6: K1, m1, k14, m1, k1

 

Continue to increase in this way until there are 28 sts. on the  needle.

 

Next Row: Knit 

Next Row - Start decreasing:  K2 tog, knit to last 2 stitches, k2 tog. [26 sts]
Next Row Knit

 

Continue to decrease 1 st at each end of every following alternate row until 12 sts. remain.
Cast Off. Cut yarn and pass through the remaining stitch and draw tight to secure.
Tidy up loose ends. Make a label

 

Hexagon Stocking Stitch Swatch

make-1 increase purlwise

 

 

Abbreviations used in this pattern:

M1 = increase by Make-1 method 

see Knitting Basics/Shaping/Increasing

K = knit, followed by number of stitches to knit
P = purl, followed by number of stitches to purl

k2 tog = knit 2 stitches together i.e. Simple Decrease

see Knitting Basics/Shaping/Decreasing

 

Cast on 12 stitches

Row 1: Knit
Row 2: K1, m1, k10, m1, k1 [14 stitches on needle]
Row 3: and all foll alternate rows: K2, purl to last 2 stitches, k2
Row 4: K1, m1, k12, m1, k1 [16 stitches]
Row 6: K2, Purl to last 2 stitches, K2

 

Continue to increase in this way until there are 28 sts. on the  needle.

 

Next Row K2, Purl to last 2 stitches, k2

Next Row - start decreasing:  K2 tog, knit to last 2 stitches, k2 tog [26 sts]
Next Row   K2, purl to last 2 stitches, K2

Continue to decrease 1st. at each end of every following alternate row until 12 sts. remain.

Cast Off.

Cut yarn and pass through remaining stitch and draw tight to secure.
Tidy up loose ends. Make a label