[NFB-Krafters-Korner] Left or right-leaning lifted increases in knitting

[Tracy Carcione]

Hi Yolanda.
I know the M1R and the M1L.  I used both in a recent project.  But are they the same as the left-leaning or right-leaning lifted increase?  The instructions for the LLI or RLI talk about picking up a stitch from 1 or 2 rows below.  
If it's just another name for the increase I already know, then that's great!
Tracy


-----Original Message-----
From: NFB-Krafters-Korner [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Yolanda Thompson via NFB-Krafters-Korner
Sent: Saturday, December 25, 2021 8:21 PM
To: List for blind crafters and artists
Cc: Yolanda Thompson
Subject: Re: [NFB-Krafters-Korner] Left or right-leaning lifted increases in knitting

Hope this helps: The web site link follows the explanation.


M1R: We'll start with 'Make One Right' first.
1. Pick up the strand between two stitches with the left needle coming
from behind.

Make one right with a right slanted loop picked up
2. Insert the right needle into the lifted strand from left to right.

inserting the needle into the front of the lifted loop from left to right


Note: This can sometimes be a bit fiddly. So go slowly and knit very
close to the tip of the needle. Sometimes it helps to loosen up the
loop a bit with your right needle from the other side first before you
attempt to insert.
···
···
3. Wrap the working yarn around counter-clockwise and pull through.

knitting the picked up strand as normal to finish m1r


Then, drop the stitch off the left needle as normal. Essentially, you
are knitting a regular knit stitch through the strand you picked up.

···
···
M1L: And here are the instructions for the corresponding 'Make on Left'.
1. Pick up the strand between two stitches with the left needle coming
from the front.

Make on left with a left slanted stitch on the left needle
2. Insert the right needle into the lifted strand through the back
loop. So, from right to left and in the back of your work.

inserting the needle through the back loop of the lifted strand

3. Wrap the working yarn around the needle counter-clockwise and pull
through to the front. Then, drop the stitch off the left needle.
Knit the picked up strand through the backloop to finish make one left


Basically, you are knitting a knit through the back loop (ktbl) into
the lifted strand.

···
···
NOTES
In the next row, you can knit both increases like regular stitches &
according to your pattern.
You cannot perform this increase as the last stitch of any row,
sincethere will be no loop to pick up. In this case, you need to
resort to the KLL or KRL



WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN M1L AND M1R?
the difference between m1r and m1l show in a swatch
···
···
M1R creates a right-slanting increase and M1L a left-slanting
increase. Hence their names. Typically, M1R is used on the right side
of a central decrease line and M1L on the corresponding left side to
create an even and harmonic widening of the fabric. M1R means picking
up the yarn so the front part of the loop leans towards the right and
then knitting it. M1L means, picking the yarn so the front part leans
to the left and then knitting it through the back loop.
comparing two knitted swatches with different uses of m1l and m1r in
different position
Two similar swatches increased to the left and right of a central knit
stitch in every second row. The only difference is the order of the
increases.
···
···
But here’s the important part: That doesn’t mean either stitch will
make your fabric lean to the right or left and you can’t use it on the
other side as well. In fact, if you use M1R and M1L the other way
around on either side of a knit stitch, you will achieve the same
triangular shape.
Instead, right-leaning just means that the single increase stitch will
look like it leans to the right. Obviously, this will look best if the
rest of the fabric leans in that direction as well.
Consider that if you use the same increase in the same position in
every second row, then the increases will form a line. For example,
you start every right-side row with: knit 4, M1L,… and end the row
with …., M1R, knit 4. And this line will look different depending on
which stitch you pick.
close-up of a knitted swatch increased with m1r and m1l on the left
and the right side
A swatch increased with M1L four stitches removed from the right side
and M1R four stitches removed from the left side.
···
···
If you take a very close look at the swatch below, you will notice the
differences are quite minuscule. However, you will notice that a M1R
will create a harmonic ridge when used on the left side and no ridge
on the right side. For the M1L the opposite is true. Typically, this
decrease line is the desired effect for most knitting patterns.
A swatch to show the difference between m1r and m1l
The same increases (and decreases) were knitted on either side of the
row in this swatch.
So, it is important to realize that, depending on the position in your
fabric you want to place an increase (meaning center or on the edges)
a different stitch might be preferred.
···
···
THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN USING THESE INCREASES
There’s one more thing I would like to mention here. Both M1R and M1L
make use of a strand from a row below, a bit like a lifted increase.
So, as you knit the increase, you steal a little length of yarn from
the two adjacent stitches. As a result, the fabric will lose a bit of
horizontal stretchiness.
If you are knitting a project with a loose gauge and only one or two
increases per row, this effect is utterly neglectable. But suppose you
have a pattern where you knit a Make One Right between every third
stitch or so. Then it could noticeably shape the fabric. This doesn’t
necessarily have to be bad. I just want you to be aware of the effect
these increases can have.
To avoid this effect, you’d have to knit a KFB or a backward loop
increase instead.
HOW TO REMEMBER WHICH WAY TO KNIT AN M1R AND AN M1L?
I know, it can be hard to memorize which way to pick up the yarn. It’s
also easy to mix up whether you should knit it or knit it through the
back loop, etc. But here are some tips that helped me a lot:
someone showing a super reasy memory hook for m1l and m1r with a swatch
Left: Make one right | Right: Make one left
···
···
• M1R: If you want a right-leaning increase, you need to Make One
Right. This means you need to pick up the yarn in a way so the front
part of the lifted loop leans to the right. And then you always knit
the loop through the part that is closest to the next stitch – so the
front part, in this case.
• M1L: If you want a left-slanting increase, you need to make one
left. This means you pick up the yarn so the loop ends up leaning to
the left. And knit it through the part that is closest to the next
stitch – so through the back loop.
Top view of a M1R stitch
A M1R loop seen from above.
···
···
You could also say: For a M1R you need to pick up the yarn so it wraps
around your needle doing a right turn, and a left turn for M1L. And as
you don’t want to create an eyelet/hole with this increase, you always
knit the stitch twisted!
Aha? So how does this help you?
Easy!
A standard knit stitch always has the front loop leaning to the left.
So, for a M1L, you have a loop that leans to the left. So, the loop
looks like a knit stitch. If you knit this loop with a standard knit
stitch, you’d create a hole. Instead, you need to knit it twisted.
And for the M1R, the loop leans to the right. So, it’s already
twisted. This means, if you knit it the standard way, you end up with
a twisted stitch already.
M1PR AND M1PL – INCREASING ON THE PURL SIDE
Sometimes, you need to increase on the purl side. Then you have to
adapt this increase accordingly. Most knitters will shy away from it.
And it has to be said that increases will look much neater if you
space them out across knit rows (which means you only increase every
two rows!).
···
···
But, of course, sometimes there’s no way around it or you want to
increase only on the wrong side. So, here’s how to knit that
M1PL (MAKE ONE PURL LEFT):
Step 1: Insert the left needle into the strand between two stitches
coming from the front.
Make one purl left with a left slanted loop picked up from below
Step 2: Purl through the back loop.
Make one purl left mean purling the stitch through the back loop
M1PR (MAKE ONE PURL RIGHT):
Step 1: Insert the left needle into the rib between two stitches
coming from the back.
···
···
A purl one right stitch
Step 2: Purl through the front loop (so a regular purl stitch).
Make one purl right means purl through the front loop
Important note:You have to be able to think laterally a bit here, as
obviously a left-slanting stitch will appear right-slanting on the
right side.
SO, THAT’S HOW YOU KNIT M1R AND M1L. LET ME KNOW HOW IT WENT IN THE
COMMENTS BELOW, EH?
How to knit the M1R and M1L knitting increase
···
https://nimble-needles.com/stitches/how-to-m1l-and-m1r-knitting-increase/



On 12/25/21, Tracy Carcione via NFB-Krafters-Korner
<nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> The pattern I just started calls for left, and right, leaning lifted
> increases.  I watched the only instructions I could find on Youtube.  I
> can't find written instructions.
>
> She says to identify the stitch below the next stitch on the left needle,
> pick up the right leg of the stitch, put it on the left needle and knit it.
> That's the right-leaning.
>
> For the left-leaning, I have to go 2 stitches below and lift up the left
> leg.
>
> This sounds kinda hard.  Am I lifting up the knit bump of the stitch below
> where I am?  To me that's vertically oriented, with a top and bottom, not
> left or right.
>
> Can anyone tell me the blind-gal technique for doing this?
>
> Or I suppose I could just cheat and do any old kind of increase.
>
> Tracy
>
>
>
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