INCREASE AND DECREASE KNITTING

INCREASE KNITTING:-

In knitting, an increase is the creation of one or more new stitches, which may be done by various methods that create distinctive effects in the fabric. Most knitting increases either lean towards the left or the right.

 image:-(example of a knitting increase and decrease).

Method of single increasing knitting :-

Yarn-over increase or "eyelet increase>

 The simplest increase is to do a yarn-over between two existing stitches. On subsequent rows, the yarn-over will be knitted, making a new stitch. The disadvantage of this method is that a small hole (eyelet) is produced at the yarn-over. This can be improved by twisting the yarn-over stitch - similar to a "make one" (below) or purling the increase through the back loop in the return row.

Raised increse>

Lift the strand connecting two knitted stitches in the row below onto the left needle (effectively producing a yarn-over) and knit it, either normally or twisted. This method (especially if twisted) leaves almost no hole, since forming the yarn-over stitch from the (presumably tight) connecting strand draws the two neighboring stitches together. If the strand is picked up coming from the front, the result will be a right-leaning decrease (M1R). If it is picked up from the back, the result will be a left-leaning decrease (M1L).

Bar increase>

 Knit the stitch normally but without transferring the knitted stitch to the right needle; the same stitch is then knitted through the back loop (KFB - knit front & back). This increase creates a bar or a nub on the fabric.

Moss increase>

Knit the stitch normally but without transferring the knitted stitch to the right needle; the same stitch is then purled. This increase makes a bar or nub on the fabric.

Lifted Increase – For a right-side increase, knit into the right leg of the stitch of the row below the next stitch to be knit, then knit the next stitch. For a left-side increase, knit one stitch, then knit into the left leg of the stitch of the row below it through the back loop. This kind of increase can be visually subtle.[2]

"Make One" (M1) – Place a half-hitch loop on the needle between two stitches, either before or after, and twisted either left or right, depending on the desired effect.

Column of Increases – A second strand of yarn or roving is passed up the piece. The second strand is used to make an extra stitch in each row by knitting a doubled stitch up from the lower row. The resulting piece has one more stitch in each row and each row is in the shape of an inverted V. The column of increases is used to make square sweater yokes.

Double increases>

Knit into the back of a stitch without transferring the stitch to the right needle, knit into the back loop of the same stitch, again without transferring the stitch, and then one more time into the front loop. This general concept can also be applied to raised increases or yarn over increases. Unlike all other increases, double decreases typically are centered and have no slant.

Finally, a large number of increases in a row is best done by casting-on; examples include buttonholes, etc. Increases are typically placed on the right side of a project but there are also purl increases for the wrong side.

Role in fabric shaping:-

Image:-(Knitting increase used to shape a sweater pattern)

Knitting increase shapes a sweater pattern

The typical use for increases and decreases is to taper a flat piece of knitted fabric, e.g., in widening the sleeve of a sweater from the wrist to the biceps. However, increases and decreases can also be used to produce curvature, i.e., to make the knitted fabric cup (positive curvature) or gather (negative curvature); in woven fabrics, this curvature is produced with darts, flares and gussets. A great advantage of knitted fabrics is that they can be shaped nearly invisibly without seams or cutting (as woven fabrics must) with increases, decreases, and/or short rows. Lace patterns also make use of increases by immediately combining them with increases. As a result, the stitch count doesn't change but the knitter can create stunning patterns through the eyelets, bars, and slanting lines these stitches create.

DECREASE KNITTING:-

A decrease in knitting is a reduction in the number of stitches, usually accomplished by suspending the stitch to be decreased from another existing stitch or by knitting it together with another stitch.

Image:-(Shown is the first row of decrease stitches knit into a sweater to create gathering.)

Methods of single decresing (knitting):-

When more than one stitch is suspended from a stitch, they can hang in different orders. For example, the first stitch could be on top of the second stitch (when seen from the right side) or the reverse, leaning to the left or the right. The order of stitches is important, both for appearance and for the way it pulls the fabric.

K2tog (knit two together):-

Work to the two stitches to be decreased, insert the right-hand needle into the first two stitches as if to knit, wrap yarn around needle in normal manner, slip the two stitches off together and drop them. This creates a right-leaning decrease.

K2tog-L (knit two together-left) :-

A left-leaning decrease that is the mirror of K2tog and produces a neater finish than other left-leaning decreases such as SSK. The key to making this stitch work is to pull excess yarn from the second stitch before letting it drop off the needle.

SSK ("slip, slip, knit") – Work to the two stitches to be decreased, slip two stitches one at a time to the right-hand needle, as if to knit; insert the left-hand needle into the two stitches from front to back, knit the two stitches together and drop them. This creates a left-leaning decrease.

S1, K1, PSSO ("slip one, knit one, pass slipped stitch over") – This results in a similar look to the SSK but can appear less tidy. Work to the two stitches to be decreased, slip next stitch to the right-hand needle as if to knit, knit next stitch, pass slipped stitch over knit stitch. Also creates a left-leaning decrease.

K2 togtbl (knittwo together through the back loops):-

This looks similar to the SSK or S1, K, PSSO, but is faster to work. Work to the two stitches to be decreased, then insert the right hand needle into the backs of the next two stitches (i.e. behind the left-hand needle, such that the two needles are anti-parallel in the stitches). Wrap the yarn normally and slip the two stitches off the left needle. This makes a left-leaning decrease.

Methods of double decreasing (knitting):-

Sometimes a double decrease is made, in which three stitches are suspended from a single stitch. This allows for six possible stitch orders: 123, 132, 213, 231, 312 and 321. Here, the first number is the topmost stitch, and the last number is the bottom most stitch. Thus, 213 means that the second stitch is uppermost (as seen from the right side), followed by the first, then third stitches. The uppermost stitch is most important; there is not much visual difference between 213 and 231.

The simplest double decreases are k3tog and p3tog, which both slant to the right. An attractively symmetric double decrease is 213, which can be done as follows: slip stitches 1 and 2 knitwise simultaneously, knit stitch 3, then pass the slipped stitches over the just-knitted stitch.

Relation to binding off:-

Binding off is effectively a series of adjacent decreases.

The simplest binding off method is to pass each knitted loop over the loop next to it. The final loop is secured by passing the knitting yarn through it, so it is best to start at the point furthest from the knitting yarn. This makes a tight edge, in contrast to other binding off methods that have a tendency to flare out. This method also does not require that the knitting yarn be nearby, so it can be done at any time or position, e.g., to form button holes.

The next simplest binding off is successive k2tog or p2tog stitches, or their counterparts k2tog tbl and p2tog tbl. In all these cases, the knitted stitch is returned to the left needle, to be combined with the following stitch.

Role in fabric shaping:-

Decreases are useful in shaping the edges of knitted pieces, and also in creating surface curvature in pieces, e.g., by creating darts.

Ref:-https://en.m.wikipedia.org