How to Increase Stitch or Decrease Stitch on a Loom

Increase stitches add to the width of a finished knitting project by increasing the number of stitches in a row. Decrease stitches reduce with width of the knit by making fewer stitches in the row. In knitting, these techniques of increasing and decreasing stitches are used to change shape, such as adding arms to a sweater. Projects requiring increase and decrease stitches can be done on a Knifty Knitter knitting loom by following a few simple steps.

Increase Stitch on the Knifty Knitter Loom

Increase stitches are used to add width, or flare to any knit project.

1. Begin the project as close to the center of the loom as possible. This leaves room on both sides of the row to increase width equally.
2. When the end of the row is reached, rather than turning and knitting off back across the row, use the yarn to wrap an additional peg.
3. Continue wrapping until the row has been increased by the number of stitches desired.
4. Continue knitting off back across the row.

Decrease Stitch on the Knifty Knitter Loom

Decrease stitches may be used to taper a waste line of a sweater, or narrow the wrist of a knitted arm.

1. When arriving at the row that is to be decreased, take the loop on the last peg of the row and unhook it. Place it on the previous peg in the row.Adding it to the previous peg, rather than simply dropping the stitch, prevents the finished knit from unraveling.
2. Repeat the step above until all the stitches that need decreased in the row have been removed.
3. When knitting off, knit off all the additional loops that have been placed on the end peg of the row, as one loop.

When creating increase and decrease stitches, the knit will stay symmetrical, or the same on both sides, if the same number of stitches are added or removed from each end. For example, when decreasing a row by 6 stitches, 3 stitches should be taken from each end of the row to keep the work balanced.When working with an odd number that must be increased, or decreased, for a row of knitting stitches, try to alternate the end of the row that gets the most increases or decreases. For example, if you are decreasing 5 stitches from a Knifty Knitter row take 3 from the left and 2 from the right side of the row. In the next row, if more stitches need to be decreased, and the total number of stitches removed is an odd number, take the extra stitch from the right side rather than the left.

How to Purl Stitch on a Knifty Knitter Loom

Purl Stitch on the Knifty Knitter|Heather Schulte

The purl stitch is a type of knitting stitch. In regular knitting, the purl is the opposite of a knit stitch. If a panel of fabric is knitted one side will have tightly knit "V's," the other side will have a series of short lines. The side with the "Vs" is referred to as the knit side and the side with the short tight lines is the purl side.A purl stitch can be created on a Knifty Knitter loom, just like it is on a pair of knitting needles. As in regular knitting, this stitch on a Knifty Knitter loom creates a finished knit panel that has the appearance of tightly weaved "Vs" on the knit side and a series of short straight lines on the purl side. The ability to combine the knit and purl stitch creates an unlimited number of knitting possibilities on the Knifty Knitter loom.

Making the Purl Stitch

• Begin by tying a slip knot and securing the slip knot to the anchor peg on the Knifty Knitter Loom.
• Ewrap the Knifty Knitter loom one time around.
• Typically, the first loop on each peg of the Knifty Knitter loom is pushed down before knitting off the loom. This leaves room for the next loop to be placed on the peg. In the purl stitch, however, you will begin by pushing the loop to the top of the peg. The loop should be at center or higher.
• Pull the working yarn across the front of the first peg to purl stitch. The yarn should be under the loop that is on the peg. From the top, slide the Knifty Knitter hook under the loop on the peg and snag the working yarn with the hook. Pull the working yarn up through the loop on the peg. This made a new loop.
• Grasp the new loop between your fingers and use this to lift the old loop off the Knifty Knitter peg.
• With your fingers, replace the old loop on the peg with the new loop you just created.

Using the Purl Stitch

The purl stitch is ideal for creating closely ribbed, tight knit. The purl stitch can be used in making hats, scarves, purses and many other projects.