The Two Main Ways to Add a Stitch

An increase in knitting means you create an extra stitch on your needle, making your fabric wider at that point. The two methods you will use most often are the knit front and back (KFB) and the yarn over (YO). Both add one stitch, but they look different and sit in different places on your fabric.

KFB is the easiest increase to learn and the one most patterns call for when they do not specify which type. A yarn over creates a small hole in your fabric and is often used for lace patterns or decorative increases. Most patterns will tell you which one to use, but knowing both gives you options when you are designing your own projects.

Key Takeaways

  • Knit front and back (KFB) adds a stitch by working into the same loop twice before sliding it off the needle.
  • Yarn over (YO) adds a stitch by wrapping yarn around the needle, creating a deliberate hole in the fabric.
  • KFB is invisible and blends into stockinette stitch; yarn over is decorative and shows as an eyelet.
  • Increases can lean left or right depending on which direction you work them, which matters for shaping sleeves and necklines symmetrically.

How to Do a Knit Front and Back Increase

Start with your working yarn in back and your right needle ready to knit. Insert your right needle through the stitch on your left needle from front to back, the way you normally would for a knit stitch. Wrap the yarn around your right needle and pull the loop through, but do not slide the stitch off your left needle yet. This is the key difference from a regular knit stitch.

Now insert your right needle through the same stitch again, this time from the back. You are going behind the loop instead of in front of it. Wrap the yarn and pull through again. Now you can slide the original stitch off your left needle. You now have two stitches on your right needle where you had one before.

The first loop you made sits on top, and the second sits below it. Both are find. This increase is nearly invisible in stockinette stitch because it blends with the column of stitches around it. It works well for sleeve shaping, waistline shaping, and anywhere you want the increase to be subtle.

How to Do a Yarn Over Increase

A yarn over is even simpler mechanically, though it looks very different. Bring your working yarn to the front of your work (the side facing you). Knit the next stitch normally. When you insert your needle and wrap the yarn, the yarn is already in front, so it wraps around the needle as part of the knit stitch itself.

When you pull the new loop through and slide the old stitch off, you have created an extra loop on your right needle. On the next row, when you knit or purl into that loop, it becomes a stitch. The result is a small, deliberate hole in your fabric directly below where you made the yarn over.

Yarn overs are standard in lace knitting, where the holes are the whole point. They are also used in decorative increases for shawls and openwork garments. Because they create a visible hole, they are not the right choice if you want a seamless increase that does not draw attention.

Left-Leaning and Right-Leaning Increases

When you shape a garment symmetrically—like adding stitches on both sides of a sleeve—you usually want the increases to mirror each other. A right-leaning increase slants toward the right side of your fabric, and a left-leaning increase slants toward the left.

For KFB, the direction depends on which leg of the stitch you work into first. If you knit into the front loop first (as described above), the increase leans right. If you knit into the back loop first, it leans left. The difference is small but visible when you have multiple increases in a row.

For yarn overs, the direction depends on what stitch comes before it. A yarn over followed by a knit stitch leans right. A yarn over preceded by a knit stitch leans left. Patterns that use yarn over increases for shaping will specify which direction to work them so the increases look intentional and balanced.

Common Mistakes When Increasing

The most common error is sliding the stitch off the needle too early when doing KFB. If you remove the stitch after the first loop, you will only have one new stitch instead of two. The stitch will look loose or dropped. Always complete both loops before removing the original stitch.

With yarn overs, the mistake is forgetting to bring the yarn forward before knitting. If you wrap the yarn but your yarn is already in back, you have just made a regular knit stitch with no increase. Yarn overs require the yarn to be in front of the needle before you work the next stitch.

Another error is losing track of where you increased. If a pattern says to increase every 4 rows, mark your increases with stitch markers or a piece of contrasting yarn so you do not accidentally skip one or do two in a row. Uneven spacing makes shaping look crooked.

When to Use Each Type of Increase

Use KFB for most everyday shaping: sleeve caps, waistlines, bust shaping, and anywhere the pattern does not specify. It is the default increase because it is fast, reliable, and nearly invisible. Patterns that do not name a specific increase type almost always mean KFB.

Use yarn over for lace, openwork, and decorative shaping. If a pattern calls for "yarn over increases" or shows a schematic with eyelet holes, that is your signal. Yarn overs are also used in some colorwork and textured patterns where the hole is part of the design.

If you are designing your own garment and the pattern does not specify, KFB is the safer choice. It works in any stitch pattern and does not create holes that might catch on things or show wear faster. Save yarn overs for when you want the holes to be visible.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between an increase and casting on?

Casting on creates stitches at the edge of your work before you start knitting. An increase adds stitches in the middle of a row or round while you are actively knitting. Increases are used to make fabric wider as you go, like when shaping a sleeve or adding stitches for a yoke.

Can I use yarn over increases in stockinette stitch?

Yes, but the holes will be visible. If you want a seamless increase in stockinette, use KFB instead. Yarn overs work fine in stockinette if you want the eyelet effect, but most garment shaping uses KFB to keep the fabric solid.

Do I count the new stitch right away or on the next row?

Count it right away. Once you have worked both loops and slid the original stitch off, you have two stitches on your right needle. When you knit the next row, those two stitches are already part of your stitch count.

What if my increases look uneven or loose?

Uneven increases usually mean you are pulling the yarn too tight or too loose when you work the second loop in KFB. Try to keep the same tension as your regular knit stitches. If the increase still looks loose after a few rows, it may tighten up as you continue knitting and the fabric settles.

Can I increase more than one stitch in the same spot?

Yes. You can do two KFB increases in the same stitch by working front, back, and front again before removing the original stitch. This creates three stitches from one. It is less common but useful for dramatic shaping like a raglan yoke or a large increase round in a shawl.