“Increase 10 stitches evenly across”: here is that row, written out. Enter the stitches on your needle and the count you need after; the instruction comes back with every repeat placed, for M1 or kfb.
Your Increase Row
Increase Row
10increases
100 stitches to 110, worked flat
[k9, M1] × 10, k10.Use M1L or M1R as your pattern prefers, the spacing is the same.
- Stitches now100
- Stitches after110
- Knit between increases9–10
The Formula
increases = after − now · M1: knit between = now ÷ increases · kfb: knit between = (now − increases) ÷ increasesThe two arithmetics differ because the stitches live in different places. An M1 lifts the bar between stitches and spends none of them; a kfb is worked into a stitch and spends it. Same row, different divisions: a detail many calculators quietly ignore.
Worked Example
100 stitches up to 110, in the round:
- With M1: 100 ÷ 10 = 10 → [k10, M1] × 10.
- With kfb: each kfb uses a stitch, so 90 plain across ten gaps: [k9, kfb] × 10.
- Both finish at 110, but read the pattern’s preferred increase before you pick, because the kfb bar shows in stockinette.
Which Increase Does What
| Stitch | Visible? | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| M1 (M1L / M1R) | Nearly invisible | Plain fabric, sleeves, yoke increases |
| kfb | Leaves a purl bar | Garter fabric, speed, beginners |
| yo | Open eyelet | Lace, decorative increase lines |
| Backward loop | Small and loose | Cast-on-mid-row, thumbs, underarms |
Reading the Instruction
- [k10, M1] × 10 means knit 10, make one, ten times around.
- M1L and M1R lean left and right; scattered across a row either works, the calculator writes M1 and you pick the lean.
- Flat rows split the leftover plain stitches between the two edges.
Assumptions and Defaults
- M1 spends no stitches; kfb and yo each spend one (yo spends none: it adds between stitches like M1, and the calculator treats it so).
- Remainders spread one stitch at a time across the gaps, never bunched at the end.
- Doubling or more (every stitch increased) reads as kfb in every stitch; the calculator writes that too.
Increase Questions, Answered
How do I increase evenly across a row?
To increase evenly across a row, divide the stitches on your needle by the number of increases and work an M1 after each group, so 100 to 110 stitches is [k10, M1] × 10. With kfb, you divide what is left after the kfbs use their stitches, and the calculator handles both divisions for you.
What is the difference between M1 and kfb for increasing evenly?
The difference between M1 and kfb is that an M1 lifts the strand between stitches, so the plain groups divide the full 100, whereas a kfb is worked into a stitch, so the groups divide 90. Using the wrong division leaves the last repeat short of stitches, which is the usual reason an increase row doesn’t come out even.
Should I use M1L or M1R?
M1L and M1R are the left-leaning and right-leaning versions of the same lifted increase. Spread across a row, either one alone works well, whereas for paired shaping at sleeve gussets or raglan seams, work M1R on the right side of the marker and M1L on the left.
How do I double my stitch count in knitting?
To double your stitch count, work kfb into every stitch, which is exactly what the calculator writes when the new count is twice the current one. With M1 you would need [k1, M1] in every gap, which tends to bunch, so kfb gives the cleaner result.
Gauge ranges: Craft Yarn Council yarn weight standards.