How to knit a lace stitch: increasing techniques

If you are looking to learn how to knit a lace stitch: increasing techniques are very important. Increasing and decreasing techniques are the basis of lace stitches, or are used to shape a piece of knitting. Some increased stitches are made to be visible and add a decorative touch or the increased stitches do not interrupt the pattern or are made to add stitches just to make the piece larger.

Most of the increased stitches are worked on the right side of the work for two reasons. First, it’s easier to see the finished look and the placement of the increased stitches. Also, it’s easier to keep track of your increased rows when you work them at regular intervals. But there are a lot of lace patterns where the increase is made on the wrong side. My advice is if you are a beginner, to start with lace stitches where the increased stitches are made on the right side.

There are knitting patterns that may not specify the type of increase to be used. Increases that have a definite right or left slant can be placed to follow the slant of the fabric. To choose an appropriate one, you should learn a variety of increases and keep the increasing techniques near you when knitting. The chart symbol appears for each type of increase so you can use them when working with charts for patterns that are given in symbols.

If you want to add one or two stitches, use increases, but if you need to add several stitches at one time at the side edge, it’s better to cast on the additional stitches.

So don’t give up if it doesn’t look good the first time, or the second, we all have been there! Just take that needles and practice every day if you can and you’ll become so good that even you won’t believe it! You can do it and you can be good at it!

If you like to support my work as a crochet& knit designer and support me to providing more free patterns and designs, buy me a cup of coffee:

1. Yarn Over:

This simple increase is the basis, along with decreases, of all lace stitches.

1. With yarn held in front wrap the working yarn over the right needle;

2. Knit the next stitches;

3. When you work the next row work the yarn over as a normal stitch.

A small hole is created.

 

2. Right-leaning lifted increase in knit (RLI):

1. With yarn held in the back insert the right needle into the stitch below the first stitch on the left needle;

2. Lift the stitch and knit it as a normal stitch;

3. Knit the next stitch on the needle as a normal stitch;

4. Continue to knit on the next stitches as the pattern indicates.

 

3. Left-leaning lifted increase in knit (LLI):

1. With yarn held in the back, knit the stitch above the desired increase (as the diagram indicates): insert the needle into the row below as the arrow indicates;

2. Lift the stitch and knit it as a normal stitch;

3. Knit the next stitch on the needle as a normal stitch;

4. Continue to knit on the next stitches as the pattern indicates.

 

4. Right lifted increase in purl (RLIP):

1. With yarn held in front insert the right needle into the bump of the stitch in the row below the next stitch on the left needle from top to bottom (as shown in the first image in the photo below);

2. Lift the stitch on the right needle, wrap the yarn on the right needle, and purl the stitch (as shown in the second image in the photo below);

3. Insert the right needle in the next stitch and purl the stitch on the needle as a normal stitch;

4. Continue to work on the next stitches as the pattern indicates.

 

5. Left lifted increase in purl (LLIP):

1. Purl the next stitch on the left stitch. Then with yarn held in front and with the tip of the left needle pick up the left leg of the stitch two rows below the stitch you just worked (the stitch is indicated by the arrow in the first image from the photo below);

2. Insert the right needle in the lifted stitch and purl it as a normal stitch;

3. Continue to work on the next stitches as the pattern indicates.

 

6. Three stitches from one with yarn over increase:

1. With yarn held in the back knit the next stitch from the left needle;

2. But don’t remove the left needle from the knitted stitch (as shown in the second image in the photo below);

3. Wrap the yarn over the right needle once more as to yarn over and reinsert the right needle in the same stitch (as the arrow indicates in the 3rd image in the photo below);

4. Wrap the yarn over the right needle once more and knit another stitch into the previously knitted stitch. You have two stitches increased (as shown in the last image in the photo below);

7. Three stitches from one with purl center increase:

1. With yarn held in the back knit the next stitch from the left needle. But don’t remove the left needle from the knitted stitch (as shown in the first image in the photo below);

2. Purl into the same stitch, but do not remove the stitch from the left needle (as shown in the second image in the photo below);

3. Knit one more stitch in the same stitch and remove it from the left needle.

4. Continue to work on the next stitches as the pattern indicates.

8. Twisted increase (make one M1):

1. Insert the right needle under the yarn that connects the stitches (as the arrow indicates in the first image in the photo below);

2. Raise the loop and move it to the left needle (as shown in the second image in the photo below);

3. Reinsert the right needle and twist the loop;

4. Knit the twisted loop as a normal stitch;

5. Continue to work on the next stitches as the pattern indicates.

9. Backward loop (e-wrap) increase:

1. With the tip of the right needle, go behind the yarn and catch the strand in the direction of the arrow;

2. Insert the tip of the right needle into the loop (as shown in the second image in the photo below);

3. Knit the next stitch;

4. Continue to work on the next stitches as the pattern indicates.

Here are some lace stitches patterns to try:

1. Vine lace Zig-Zag stitch;

2. Horseshoe lace stitch;

3. Fern lace stitch;

4. Leaf patterned lace stitch;

5. Dainty chevron stitch;

6. Twin leaf lace stitch;

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