My favorite techniques: M1R and M1L

There is at least few ways of making one stitch when adding stitches in a knit (like knitting in the stitch below and knitting a stitch from front and back etc.), but my favorites are:

M1R (make one right)

Pick up yarn from behind between sts to left hand needle and K through front loop. This makes a right leaning stitch.

M1L (make one left)

Pick up yarn from front between sts to left hand needle and K through back loop. This makes a left leaning stitch.

I like the look of these techniques; how the stitches smoothly blend to the knitted surface and how they are easily spotted if you’re in need of counting the added stitches for example. These leaning stitches also gives you a chance to play with the structure of the stitches:

In this picture above I’ve worked “K until SM, M1L, sm, K to EOR” and in the picture below I’ve worked “K until SM, sm, M1L and K to EOR”.

My favorite is definitely the latter one. In my eyes it’s a teeny tiny bit of neater outcome.

My favorite techniques: Figure 8 CO

 I’ve been testing all kinds of knitting techniques during the years. And I love to test new ones in search of the perfect ones for me and my designs. Though I have already found some of my absolute favorites… that I will share with you in some upcoming blog posts.

The first technique I’m sharing with you is my favorite when casting on toe up socks:

Figure 8 Cast On

The CO is made with circular needles holding them parallel and wrapping the yarn in figure 8 around the needles. Leaving a short tail of the yarn wrap it around the upper needle and work the yarn alternately around and between the needles. Continue wrapping a figure 8 around the needles until you have the desired number of sts, ending with a bottom loop. You’ll now have an equal number of sts on both needles. The CO is ready only after working once the sts on the 2nd needle: rotate the needles so you’re holding them with your left hand and pull the bottom needle through the sts so that they’re on the cable. With the right hand needle K the first st of left hand needle and K the following sts tbl. Now the CO is ready.