The two main ways to add stitches to your needles

Increasing stitches means creating new loops on your needle during a row so you end up with more stitches than you started with. You do this to shape garments — making sleeves wider, adding fullness to a skirt, or creating a triangular shawl that grows as you knit.

There are two broad categories: yarn-over increases, which create a visible hole in your fabric, and lifted increases, which blend into the knit without leaving a gap. Which one you use depends on whether you want the hole to show (often decorative) or stay hidden (usually for shaping).

The method you choose also affects how your fabric looks and how much experience you need. A yarn-over is the easiest to learn. A lifted increase takes a little more hand control but gives you a cleaner result when you want invisible shaping.

Key Takeaways

  • A yarn-over increase is made by wrapping yarn around the needle between two stitches, creating a deliberate hole that works well in lace patterns.
  • Lifted increases (like knit front and back, or picking up a stitch from the row below) add stitches without creating a visible hole.
  • The position of your increase — at the edge, in the middle of a row, or spread across multiple rows — changes how evenly your fabric widens.
  • Practicing the motion slowly on a practice swatch before you start a real project helps you keep even tension and avoid accidentally dropping stitches.
  • Pairing increases on both sides of a garment (left and right edges, or symmetrically in the middle) creates balanced shaping that looks intentional.

Yarn-over increases and when to use them

A yarn-over (often written as YO in patterns) is the simplest increase to execute. You wrap the working yarn around the needle to create a new stitch, and this automatically leaves a small hole in your fabric. The hole is part of the design — you see it in lace shawls, openwork sweaters, and decorative edging.

To make a yarn-over between two knit stitches, knit one stitch normally, then bring the yarn to the front of your work (toward you). Knit the next stitch. The yarn wrapped around the needle between those two stitches becomes a new stitch on the next row. The hole appears directly below where you wrapped.

Yarn-overs are forgiving because the wrap itself is the stitch — you cannot accidentally miss it or create tension problems the way you can with other increases. They are also fast, which matters when a pattern calls for many increases in one row (common in lace or shawl patterns).

Lifted increases that blend into your knit

A lifted increase creates a new stitch by using yarn that already exists in your fabric, so no hole appears. The most common lifted increase is knit front and back (KFB). You knit into the front loop of a stitch as usual, but before you drop it off the needle, you knit into the back loop of the same stitch. Now you have made two stitches from one.

To do KFB: insert your right needle through the front of the stitch on your left needle and knit it. Do not drop the stitch. Bring your right needle around to the back of the left needle and knit through the back loop of that same stitch. Now drop the original stitch off the left needle. You have increased by one.

Another lifted increase is pick up and knit, where you use a crochet hook or spare needle to grab the horizontal strand of yarn that sits between two stitches (or from the row below) and knit it as a new stitch. This takes more practice to keep tension even, but it creates an almost invisible increase that works well for fitted shaping in sweater sleeves or waistlines.

Where to place increases for balanced shaping

How you position your increases changes how your fabric widens. If you increase at both edges of a row (one stitch in from each edge), you create a symmetrical widening that looks intentional and professional. This is common in sleeve shaping — you increase one stitch in from the left edge and one stitch in from the right edge on the same row, every few rows, and the sleeve grows evenly wider.

You can also space increases across the middle of a row. A pattern might tell you to increase evenly across a row — for example, "increase 10 stitches evenly spaced" — which means you divide the total stitches by 10 and place one increase roughly every 10th or 11th stitch. This spreads the new stitches so the widening looks gradual rather than bunched.

Some patterns use increases in a single column down the middle of a piece, which creates a visible line of shaping. This is often paired with decreases on the other side to create a decorative effect, like the center-front shaping of a cardigan or the spine of a shawl.

How often to increase and how fast your fabric grows

The frequency of your increases determines how quickly your piece widens. If you increase every row, your fabric grows very fast — useful for a triangular shawl or a dramatic flare. If you increase every 4 rows, the widening is gradual and subtle, which works for a fitted sleeve that needs to go from wrist to armpit without looking bulky.

Most patterns tell you exactly when to increase: "increase 1 stitch at each edge every 6 rows" means you add 2 stitches (one on each side) every 6 rows until you reach the target width. Count your rows carefully or use a row counter so you do not miss the increase rows.

If you are designing your own shaping, a general rule is that increases every 4 to 6 rows create a gentle curve, while increases every 2 to 3 rows create a steeper one. Test on a practice swatch if you are unsure — knit 20 stitches and increase every 4 rows for 20 rows, then every 2 rows for 20 rows, and compare how the edges look.

Keeping your tension even when you increase

New knitters often pull too tight on the stitch after an increase, which makes that stitch look smaller and distorts the fabric. After you complete an increase, the new stitch is still on your needle. Knit the next stitch normally, and let the tension of that next stitch settle the new one into place. Do not tug on the working yarn.

If you are doing a lifted increase like KFB, the back loop can feel awkward to knit into. Rotate your left needle slightly so the back loop faces you more directly, and insert your needle from underneath rather than from the side. This gives you a clearer entry point and prevents you from accidentally splitting the yarn.

Practice on a swatch before you start a real project. Knit 20 stitches for 10 rows, then increase every row for 10 rows using the method you plan to use in your garment. Look at the edge — the increases should look like a neat, even line, not a jagged or bunched edge. If they look uneven, your tension is probably changing. Slow down and focus on keeping the same pressure on the yarn before and after each increase.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

The most common mistake is accidentally creating an increase when you did not mean to. This happens when you knit into a stitch, drop it off the needle, and then knit into it again from the row below — you have made two stitches from one without intending to. To prevent this, always drop the stitch completely off your left needle after you knit it, and do not go back to it.

Another mistake is forgetting to increase on the row you planned. If your pattern says "increase every 6 rows," mark those rows on a piece of paper or use a row counter. It is straightforward to lose count, especially if you are knitting while watching television. If you realize you missed an increase row, you can pick up the stitch from the row below and knit it, but this is fiddly and best avoided.

Yarn-overs sometimes disappear if you do not wrap the yarn fully around the needle. Make sure the yarn goes completely around — if you only drape it over the top, it will slip off. If a yarn-over closes up on the next row, you probably did not wrap it far enough.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between an increase and adding stitches at the edge?

An increase happens within a row and uses existing yarn to create a new stitch. Adding stitches at the edge (called casting on at the edge) means you use your needle and yarn to create new stitches along the side of your work, usually to add a border or extend a piece. Increases are for shaping; edge stitches are for finishing or extending length.

Can I use a yarn-over if I do not want a hole?

No — a yarn-over always creates a hole because that is how it works. If you want to increase without a visible hole, use a lifted increase like knit front and back or pick up and knit. If your pattern calls for yarn-overs but you do not like the look, you can substitute a lifted increase, though this changes the appearance of the finished piece.

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

You count it right away. Once you have made the increase, you have one more stitch on your needle than you started with. If you cast on 20 stitches and increase once in the first row, you have 21 stitches at the end of that row.

What if my increases look uneven or lumpy?

Uneven increases usually mean your tension is changing around the increase. Slow down and knit the stitch before and after the increase at the same speed and pressure as the rest of the row. If the increases look lumpy, you may be pulling too tight on the working yarn after the increase. Let the next stitch settle it naturally.

Can I increase in the middle of a stitch, or does it have to be between stitches?

Most increases happen between stitches or by working into an existing stitch (like KFB). You can pick up a strand from between stitches and knit it, but you cannot increase in the middle of a single stitch. If a pattern says "increase in the next stitch," it means work into that stitch in a way that creates two stitches, like KFB.