Knitting Increase While Purling
Increasing in Knit - Purl Twice into Same Stitch
The bar increase method in knitting can be worked into a knit stitch or a purl stitch. Learn how to increase in knit by purling twice into the same stitch.
Bar Increase Instructions in Purl
Increasing in this manner basically begins with initiating a purl stitch. At the position for the increase, take the right needle from right to left through the front of the first stitch on the left needle. The tip of the right needle should end up in front of the left needle. Wrap the yarn counterclockwise between the tips of the two needles. (Figure 1)
Draw the tip of the right needle back through the stitch on the left needle. However, do not pull the stitch off the left needle as would be done if a purl stitch was being completed. Instead, keep the wrapped yarn on the right needle where it will form a new stitch, and leave the other “half” of the stitch on the left needle where it already is. (Figure 2)
Take the tip of the right needle from left to right through the back of the stitch this time. (Figure 3) Manipulate the needles and yarn until the tip of the right needle is in front of the left needle. Wrap the yarn from back to front (counterclockwise) between the tips of the two needles. (Figure 4)
Draw the tip of the right needle back through the stitch on the left needle. (Figure 5) Keep the wrapped yarn on the right needle where it will form a new stitch. Essentially, the knitter is completing the purl stitch that was started at the very beginning.
Slide the right needle to the right, slipping off the used loop on the tip of the left needle. There should now be two stitches where only one would have been.
More Information
There are a few ways to increase in knit. In addition to the bar increase described in this article, increasing can be accomplished using the bar increase in knit, the make one on knit row, the make one on purl row, the yarn over while working knit, or the yarn over while working purl methods. It’s simply a matter of where the knitter is in a project, or in the case of the yarn over, what kind of effect she is trying to create.
Once armed with increases and decreases, a knitter is ready to tackle much, much more of the world of knitting.
