Increases Mini-Series: Make 1 (M1)

M1=Make 1

Make 1 is an increase that is worked into the horizontal strand of yarn running between two stitches. There are two types of Make 1′s, a left twist  M1L and a right twist M1R. Some patterns do not specify which type of Make 1 to use, whenever the pattern doesn’t specify, it is safe to use the M1L.

M1L=Make 1 left. Twist the horizontal strand of yarn CLOCKWISE.

M1R=Make 1 right. Twist the horizontal strand of yarn COUNTERCLOCKWISE.

3 Comments

• Sue K July 22, 2012 at 8:45 pm

  Isela,
  Thanks so much for doing the mini-series on increase. I know this will help a lot of the knitters, including myself. I know them all in needle knitting just wasn’t sure on the loom. Thanks again for all your wonderful help!!! Any new races coming up?
• Barbara Sibley August 15, 2012 at 3:45 pm

  Using 50 pegs. How do I get 2/3rds out of the 25 for the heel/toe?
• Melitza Calderon February 9, 2013 at 5:34 am

  Hello,

  How do I M5 on same stitch? The stitch guide says M5 (make): (k1,YO, K1, YO, K1) in same st: 5 sts in one made.

  The pattern calls for the following.

  row 1: K1; *P5tog, M5 in next st; rep from * to last st, K1.

  This is really confusing. Please help me understand how to do this.

  Thanks,
  Melitza

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Increases Mini-Series: knit 1 front and back (k1f&b)

Knit 1 front and back (k1f&b)

It is one of the most commonly used increases. It is a visible increase as it creates a horizontal bar wherever you create the increase.  Also known as the bar increase because of the horizontal bar it creates.  To create this increase, you will need an empty peg to the right of the peg where you want the increase. Name the pegs as follows: Peg A (peg with loop on it) and Peg B (empty peg).

Step 1: Knit the stitch as usual on Peg A. Instead of popping the loop off the peg as you normally would when creating a knit stitch, place the newly formed loop on the adjacent empty peg (Peg B), leaving the original loop on Peg A and the new loop on Peg B.

Step 2: Wrap Peg A counterclockwise. Lift the bottom loop off the peg, leaving one loop on the peg.

Continue working the row.

Here is a visual for your convenience.

2 Comments

• Ro July 18, 2012 at 5:30 am

  Hi Isela,

  Could you tell me, on what type of project would this be used ? What purpose does this have? thx
  Congrats on joining the Knitting Board site.! :)
• Lisa July 19, 2012 at 1:28 pm

  I have looked at looms and plan on purchasing one this weekend,is it as easy as you make it seem? I knitted years ago when in school,but that is all,I needle tatt and sew and always looking at new ways to make items.I have MS and want to keep going by making beautiful items as a type of therapy,any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

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Increases Mini-Series: Yarn Over (YO)

Yarn Over, abbreviated as YO. In needle knit patterns, it can also be referred as yarn around needle (YRN), yarn forward (YF), and wool around/over needle  (YON). This type of increase creates a small hole in the knitting, within the row where you create the increase.

To create the YO, simply e-wrap the peg counterclockwise.

Working with YOs: When a pattern calls for a YO within the knitted fabric, we are going to need to move the stitches outwards to create an empty peg where we want the YO located. In the video shown, I demonstrate how to increase within the fabric. There are two methods: First method: move the stitches out to create the empty space then knit the stitches and e-wrap the empty peg. Second method and my preferred method when only increasing one stitch is to knit the stitches and move them to their new peg after I have knitted them (as shown in the video). When the pattern calls for a YO at the beginning of a row, it is quite simple, just e-wrap the next adjacent empty peg to the first/last peg of the fabric.

3 Comments

• Marilyn Gruber July 7, 2012 at 12:22 pm

  Hello,
  I am going to try making making my first pair of socks on the sock loom. I would appreciate help with understanding “Join to form a round”. Do I connect the stitches on the pegs with a special stitch or how do I do so? Thank you for help from a new loom knitter.
• Isela July 18, 2012 at 4:19 am

  Marilyn, you connect them in various forms, the easiest method is to simply interchange the loop from the last peg with the loop from the first peg.
• Isela September 4, 2012 at 2:57 pm

  To join in the round is a simple way to say that we will be knitting around the knitting loom and not a flat panel. One easy way to join in the round is to take the yarn coming from the last peg to the front of the first peg and continue wrapping the loom around and around. Another method is to interchange the last loop on the last peg with the loop from the first peg. Hope this helps.

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