How to knit m1 increases (and why)

For those of you who never get around to watching videos:

Today I'm going to show you how to work my preferred make-one increases. While some knitters prefer knit-front-and-back or working into the running thread between stitches, I have issues with both of those, particularly when knitting something with paired increases.

The issue with kfb is that you get a purl bump. There are times when this is great, like doing increases for ribbing or seed stitch, but if you're working a smooth stockinette fabric, those bumps may stick out in a bad way.

Picking up the bar between stitches (the running thread) is ok, but I find it pulls at the fabric at those points since you are literally pulling the running thread from running between stitches to bring a whole new stitch. You can work those stitches as pairs, but sometimes it can be a wrestling match.

So making one out of whole thread, as it were, is my preferred technique. To do it, you make a backwards loops with your working yarn and place it onto your right needle. To make paired increases, twist your loop in one direction for the first increase and the other direction for its match. Simply work into the new stitch normally on the next row or round. Just remember to be consistent on which direction you twist your loops.

So there you have it. Matched increase that are nearly invisible! I use this technique on all of my sweaters, as well as some accessories (Sly Maid Stole comes to mind). And it works on flat knitting and in the round.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and happy knitting!

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Video Tuesday: Sotherton

E.T.A. Sotherton is currently on sale for 30% off at Interweave's site, along with An Aran for Anne, An Aran for Frederick, and Bixby.

It's been a little emotional over here of late, and I haven't felt like posting. Plus, I'm working hard on two deadline projects. But today may be the last chilly day in New York, so I'm celebrating by wearing (and talking about) Sotherton in my latest video, which I have also uploaded to YouTube - we'll see if I can make this work.

I misspoke there about using tosh dk - the sample I'm wearing was worked in tosh vintage.

If you follow the link in the first paragraph, you will be able to browse all the Sothertons on Ravelry. It is a sweater that flatters many figures. If you haven't made one yet, why not? :) That link will also link you to the Interweave store where you can get your own copy of the pattern.

Out of curiosity, would people be interested in my self-publishing the pattern (and any other Jane Austen Knits patterns)? It would mean the patterns would be available from Ravelry/Etsy/Craftsy. I know some knitters like to keep all their patterns together in their Ravelry libraries. Comment or drop me an email at kathleendames at gmail dot com. Since this would take some extra work on my part, I only want to do it if it would be of some worth to people.

Thanks for watching/reading, and happy knitting!

P.S. My friend Mike thinks that I should start calling my knitting video blogs "klogs". Am I a klogger? ;)