Shaping You shape your’ knitting by adding or subtracting stitches from the rows, as you work. There are various methods of adding and subtracting stitches to create different styles and effects. Increasing The first two increasing techniques given below are usually used near the edges of the knitting for side shaping, All the increases are shown worked on a knit row, but the same simple principles can be applied to a purl row.

Simple increase Knit into the front of the stitch in the usual way But before slipping the old stitch off the needle, knit into the back of the stitch, forming two stitches on the right needle. Making a ‘stitch This method is different from a simple increase in that It does not use an existing stitch to make another stitch. It is abbreviated as M 1 in patterns. Pick up the horizontal loop between two stitches and work into the back of it to make a stitch, To make two stitches, referred to as M2 in patterns, work into the front of the loop after first working into the back of It. Invisible increase This is ideal for increasing in the middle of a row as It is virtually invisible, Insert the tip of the right needle into the front of the stitch below the next stitch to be knitted and knit It Decreasing decreases are made by working two stitches as one, The Joined loops of knitting slope either to the right or left depending on the technique used, If used for decorative  purposes, decreases are carefully chosen to create the light detail.

Simple  Knit Decrease (right) This forms a decrease that slopes to the right. Knit two stitches together by inserting the tip of the right needle through the next two stitches instead of one, and knitting these together’ as one stitch, This is called k2tog, Simple  Knit Decrease (left) This forms a decrease that slopes to the left.  two stitches together but insert the tip of the right needle through the back of the stitches, This is called k2tog tbl.

alternative knit decrease (left) This also forms a decrease that slopes to the left. Slip one stitch knitways onto the right needle without knitting it, knit the next stitch, then pass the slipped stitch over the knit stitch and off the right needle. Simple purl decrease (right) This forms a right slope on the knit side of the fabric. Insert the needle purlways Thorough two stitches and purl them together’ as one stitch – called p2tog,Although the knit decreases shown above Can be adapted to create purl decreases the simply purling instead of knitting the stitches both increases and decrease are usually worked on the knit rows where possible, except for intricate stitch textures or knitted lace