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Increases |
The increase I use the most is the Make One (M1). The best instructions for this, with videos, can be found here.
There are a couple of places that you will need to work increases on your garment including the sleeves and waist shaping. Your pattern will say 'increase one stitch at each end of this row and every following nth row.'
The following will give you distinct edges that will make the finishing easier.
-Knit 1
-work the next stitch in pattern
-M1
-work to the last 2 stitches
-M1
-work next stitch in pattern
-Knit 1
What happens if your garment is worked in a pattern like moss stitch? When you make a stitch the pattern is thrown off because you have two knits or purls side by side. I don't worry about this on the increase row and then on the following row I line the stitches up again. Your edge stitches will not be in pattern for one row but no one will ever notice it. This is normally on your sleeve seam and unless you stand with your arms over your head all day the sleeve seam is against your body.
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Decreases
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Knittinghelp.com has an amazing description of different decreases.
Places you will use shaped decreases
-raglan shaping
-waist shaping
-neck shaping
Most knitting patterns just say decrease. For many of us this means knitting two together at each end of the row. There is nothing wrong with doing your decreases this way but when it comes to sewing together you are left guessing where to sew.
Try this and you will have nice clean edges for doing the mattress stitch.
Right side row: K1, ssk, work to last 3 stitches, k2tog, K1.
Wrong side row: K1, p2tog, work to last 3 stitches, p2tog through back loop, K1.
P2tog through back loop
- Slip next stitch from left hand needle to right hand needle like a knit
- Slip another stitch from left hand needle to right hand needle like a knit
- Take left hand needle and slip it from left to right through the front of these 2 stitches
- Remove right hand needle-the 2 stitches are back on the left hand needle but are backwards
- Take right hand needle and hold behind the left hand needle and parallel to the left needle. Both needles will be facing in the same direction (tips to the right)
- Slip right needle through back of the two stitches from left to right.
- Turn right needle so the tip is now facing to the left
- Purl the two stitches together
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