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tutorial – knitting the m1bl increase

As you know, there are many options to work increases in knitting. Take for example the various m1 increases. A disadvantage of the regular m1 increase is, however, that it’s worked into the horizontal strand between two stitches in the row below. This causes the knitting to become tighter when they’re stacked over multiples rows. Especially when working in stripes or garter stitch, this can cause the lines to become distorted.

And that is where the m1bl increase comes in. The m1bl increase is also known as “Make 1 with Backward Loop” or the “Backward loop increase”. And when worked correctly it’s almost invisible! This is due to the fact that it doesn’t use yarn from the row below, but is given its own amount to be formed. Also, the m1bl increase can be used to either increase mid-row or cast-on stitches at the end of the row. The m1bl is basically the same as the thumb method of casting on, also known as the “single cast-on”, “e-wrap cast-on” or the “backward loop cast-on”.

Directional increase

The m1bl increase is a directional increase. This means there is both a left-leaning and a right-leaning version, which mirror each other when used together. This can be very useful in projects where paired increased are needed and it may be visually pleasing to be symmetrical. Think for example of both sides of a top-down triangle shawls spine, or bust shaping in a garment.

Sometimes there is no indication of a direction given in the pattern, usually denoted by plain “m1bl”. If that is the case, you can choose which version you like best, or easiest to make. Often I don’t bother using both versions of the m1bl increase. I mean, it’s so invisible on its own!

In my patterns you can find the following description for the m1bl increase:
Make 1 with a backward loop (m1bl): With your thumb, make a backward loop with the working yarn over the right-hand needle and pull to tighten.

Below you can find how this increase is worked.

Knitting the left-leaning m1bl increase step by step

1. Take your working yarn and loop it as shown in the picture below, with the yarn going to the project in front.

2. Next, insert the tip of the right needle from back to front through the loop.

3. Pull the yarn snugly around the needle.

4. On next row when you come to the loop added, purl (as shown here for stockinette) or knit (for garter stitch) as usual.

Knitting the right-leaning m1bl increase step by step

1. Take your working yarn and loop it as shown in the picture below, with the yarn going to the project in the back.

2. Next, insert the tip of the right needle from front to back through the loop.

3. Pull the yarn snugly around the needle.

4. On next row when you come to the loop added, purl (as shown here for stockinette) or knit (for garter stitch) as usual.

The results

And this is how knitting both right- and left-leaning versions of the m1bl increase are worked! The result in stockinette is shown below, with the right-leaning version on the right of the swatch and the left-leaning one on the left. In this small swatch, there are three increase rows worked every other row, at a distance of 3 stitches from the garter stitch edge.

As you can see in the below picture, the increases are fairly invisible in reverse stockinette. The same holds true in garter stitch!

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tutorial – making a slipknot

I know, it seems so basic: making a slipknot to start casting on your knitting project. But that’s only because once you know how to do it, it’s easy! And yes, I know it’s possible to start casting on without a slipknot, and that it’s sometimes to be preferred because it doesn’t give that extra knot on your cast-on edge. But that’s not the point here.

Most of the times I still start my knitting projects with a slipknot, even though I know how to do it without. I guess I just like that sturdy start of my cast-on edge! In this post, I’m going to show you how to do make a slipknot around a knitting needle yourself.

Making a slipknot step-by-step

1. Loop the yarn as shown in the picture below.

2. Next, arrange the yarn tail in such a way, that you can pull it through the first loop, like this:

3. Insert your knitting needle as shown, underneath the arranged bit of yarn tail.

4. Now hold both the yarn tail and the yarn going back to the ball of yarn and pull them both to tighten the slipknot around the needle.

5. And there you have it: a lovely slipknot around your needle! You’re now ready to start casting on the remaining stitches needed for your project. You can for example use the knitted-on cast-on for this.

Of course, it can be hard to visualize the motions needed to realize the above. For that very reason, I’ve also made a short video in which I show you how I make slipknots around my knitting needle. It doesn’t contain a spoken commentary, it’s really only to show you the motions!

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art deco

Art Deco is a crescent-shaped shawl worked from the top-down. The stylized flowers as commonly used in France, in the early days of Art Deco, inspired the flowers in the border of this design.

The shawl starts with a garter stitch tab. The body contains special shaping, which helps to avoid the “bump” in the upper edge of the shawl, so often present in crescent shawl designs. The lace in the border is knit on both right side and wrong side rows. The instructions for the border of the shawl are provided both fully charted and written out.

Pay what you want: (minimum €6.50)

€

Difficulty level

The Art Deco shawl starts with a garter stitch tab. Stitches used include knit, purl, k2tog, p2tog, p2tog tbl, skp, yo and m1L and m1R increases. This pattern is suitable for the intermediate knitter.

Sizes and finished measurements

One size: Finished dimensions of the sample shawl: 191 cm (75 ¼ inches) along the upper edge and a depth of 58 cm (22 ¾ inches), measured after blocking.

Pattern details

Gauge: Approx. 15 sts / 18 rows = 10 cm (4 inches) over stockinette, measured after blocking. While gauge is not critical in this design, a loose gauge gives the best result.
Pattern languages included: English and Dutch (Dit patroon omvat zowel een Nederlandse als een Engelse versie)
Digital PDF has 6 pages (letter size)

Materials

Yarn: Brooklyn Tweed Loft (100% Targhee-Columbia; 251 m (275 yds) / 50 g) in the following colors and amounts:
MC: 251 m (275 yds) / 50 g in Faded Quilt
CC: 502 m (550 yds) / 100 g in Camper
Size 4 mm (US 6) / 80 cm (32 inches) circular needles
Yarn needle
2 stitch markers to indicate the center stitches
Stitch markers for the lace section (optional)

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tutorial: garter tab CO for top-down crescents

Many top-down shawl patterns start with a garter tab cast-on because it creates a lovely seamless start of any shawl. Most people will be familiar with this cast-on for traditional top-down triangle shawls. A tutorial on working such a garter tab cast-on can be found here. But what to do when starting a top-down crescent type shawl?

This type of shawl usually has a different increase rate when compared with traditional triangles. With the latter, the stitch count is increased by 4 on all right-side rows. With a top-down crescent though, increases are worked on both right side and wrong side rows: the stitch count is increased by 4 stitches on right-side rows and by 2 on wrong-side rows. When the wrong-side row increases are yarn overs, you get a rather decorative eyelet edge to your shawl. This makes it, however, harder to make your garter tab blend in invisibly. And this is where this tutorial on knitting garter tab CO for top-down crescents comes in!

As with all garter tabs, they can be a bit fiddly to work, especially when working with very skinny yarn. However, don’t let that deter you from knitting patterns that use this cast on: with the below step-by-step instructions and tips you are sure to master this technique.

In this example I used the following garter tab instructions, to get a 7 stitch start including 2 edge stitches on each side:

CO 2 sts and knit 6 rows. Turn work 90 degrees clockwise, yo, then pick up 1 st from the second (middle) garter stitch ridge along the long edge and twist this st 360 degrees counterclockwise, then purl it, yo. Pick up and knit 2 sts along the cast on edge. (7 sts).

Materials

Besides yarn and knitting needles I’m also using 3 removable stitch markers, one preferably in a different color or size.

The garter tab CO for top-down crescents step by step

1. Cast-on two stitches using your preferred cast-on method. In this example, I’m using the knitted on cast-on. Place markers in each of every cast-on stitch, this will make it easier to pick them up later on. I attached them to the back legs of the stitches to keep the markers out of the way.

2. Work 6 rows in garter stitch (knit every row). This will give you 3 ridges.

3. Then turn your work – still on the right-hand needle – 90 degrees clockwise and yo.

4. Next, insert the remaining stitch marker in the purl bump from the middle of the 3 garter ridges along the edge.

5. Use the stitch marker to twist the stitch it is inserted in 360 degrees counterclockwise (2 twists).

6. Next, insert the left-hand needle in the twisted stitch ….

7. …. and purl this stitch. The reason I’m purling this stitch here is that it makes sure that after casting on I can continue straight away with a right side row for stockinette. If you want reverse stockinette or garter stitch, this stitch should be knit instead of purled. It looks like this after this step:

8. Next, yo again.

9. Turn your work 90 degrees clockwise again and pick up and knit the first marked stitch along the cast-on edge. These stitches can be a tad hard to see, but because we marked them in step 1 this really isn’t an issue.

10. Now pick up and knit the second marked stitch along the cast-on edge.

11. There you have it: a garter tab CO for top-down crescents! There are now 7 stitches: 2 stitches on either end which will become the garter edge stitches, and 3 stitches in the middle which will become the body of your shawl. You are now ready to start the rest of your pattern!

In the little swatch shown below, I’ve knitted some more rows in the following format:

Row 1 (RS): K2, (k1, yo, k1) in next st, k to 3 sts before end, (k1, yo, k1) in next st, k2.
Row 2 (WS): K2, yo, p to 2 sts before end, yo, k2.

Do you see how well this garter tab cast-on blends in? I can’t see where the cast-on ends and the rest of the shawl begins! And that’s how I like it.

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chocolate raspberry waffles

The Chocolate Raspberry Waffles cowl is just the pattern for those times that you want a mindless knit. Using slip-stitch patterning, it’s designed to break up the color pooling and flashing often seen with hand-dyed yarns.

This cowl is worked in the round. The pattern is suitable for the advanced beginner.

Pay what you want: (minimum €5.50)

€