Math for Knitters - Increasing Evenly Across a Row
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- Those dreaded words in your pattern - "Decrease X number of stitches evenly across the row." Even if the math doesn't come out very tidy, here is how to write that row out so that it makes sense, for both increasing and decreasing.
Information on things you'll see in this video:
The sweater on the mannequin is my Woman's Zippered Letterman's Jacket, pattern + video tutorial:
verypink.com/20...
The pattern for the sweater I'm wearing can be found here (not my design):
www.ravelry.com...
The needle I'm using for demonstration is by Clover.
The nail polish I'm wearing is Julep color "Flora":
www.julep.com/r... - Навчання та стиль
EXACTLY what I was looking for. I am an engineer by trade and this was really BUGGING me! You explained it perfectly. I did like the idea of splitting the remainder stitches between the beginning and end of the row, but I also appreciate the simplicity of the solution you presented.
The increase information is VERY helpful. I did notice that always have too many or too few based on the increase but couldn't quite feature out where I was going wrong.
I ran into this for the first time yesterday, I purchased a pattern for some pretty lace socks, and right after knitting the cuff it indeed says to knit a round decreasing 4 sts evenly. This helped a ton thank you!
I absolutely agree that the decreases should be written into the pattern. I am incredibly obsessive about it being perfect and I really don't like it when a pattern is written as if "you should understand". And I am a pretty good and experienced knitter. You have really helped me! Thanks Stacy.
Hi Staci! I was looking for a video on decreasing evenly across a row that I knew you had filmed. I couldn't find it and when I saw this video (titled "Increasing Evenly Across a Row") I thought I'd watch it in case you gave tips for decreasing. To my surprise, the video mostly covered decreasing! Just what I needed! Might be easier for viewers to find if you maybe added the word "decreasing" in the title as well? Great video as always. Thanks.
I'm really appreciating this series. Thank you.
Oh, Staci, Staci, you just helped me so much.
Oh my goodness, I don’t know why pattern designers just don’t explain that. Thank you very much 😊
Great explanation, thanks. Would you consider a "Math for Knitters" lesson on picking up stitches for a button band?
I so agree! I've seen it in so many patterns and it is a complete cop out!
Staci, you just make everything so easy. Thank you!
I do my calculation just a little bit differently, and end up with a slightly different result. I like to translate the written pattern to explicit row-by-row instructions. I'll talk about increasing in a fashion that uses a stitch for each increase (such as the increases along the top of the ribbed waistband for a conventional sweater). I'll use your example: Increase 12 stitches evenly in 200.
I like to calculate the "gap" between each increase, and I like it to be as even as possible. This is what we programmers call a "fencepost problem" ("how many posts are needed for a 200 foot fence with a post every 12 feet?"). Ignoring the ends (since we don't want to increase on either end), the number of gaps will be one more than the number of increases (1 increase forms 2 gaps). So my formula starts with "total - increases" (200 - 12) -- 188 "regular" stitches. Since there are 12 increases, there are 13 gaps. So I then calculate "regular stitches"/"gaps" -- 188/13, or 14.46.
This is 14 stitches with a remainder of 6. That means that 6 of the 13 gaps should have one extra stitch (to use up the remainder). So there are 6 gaps of 15 stitches and 7 gaps of 14 stitches. I would thus write:
(K14 Kinc K15 Kinc) * 6 + K14
That distributes the 12 increases evenly across the 200 stitch row while also evenly distributing the remainder.
We did division with a remainder in 1960’s Elementary School! Who knew I would ever use it!?! Still waiting to use that calculus and trigonometry from HS, though!😂
You say to knit the remaining 8 stitches in pattern after doing the 16 decreases. Why wouldn't you split it up, doing 4 stitches in the beginning, then the series of 16 decreases, and the remaining 4 stitches afterwards? I expect that this way would be preferable because it is more symmetrical. Thank you for explaining this so well!
Just Having Fun - I just answered this same question for someone else here in the comments: "I personally would add up the first stitches (before the first increase) and the last stitches (after the last increase), divide that number in half, then use that number at the very beginning and the very end of the row to make it a bit more even. Not really necessary, but I like the symmetry. I considered teaching that in this tutorial, but I really wanted to keep things simple. Math can be overwhelming for some folks, and I felt like focusing on the basics was important."
Thanks
would there be a way to calculate a pattern telling you how many they want you to finish with? for example, start with 100 st & increase evenly to 154? thank you for the help
Thank you for this! I"m a 'non-math' person...even basic math can mess me up...beyond that...forget it! And your answer to Charles is helpful too as it really appeals to my 'ocd' to get it just right. LOL!
Do you have a video on a solution to do this while in the round? My pattern requires me to continue k2tbl, p2 while increasing 2 stitches evenly across the round. I followed this solution since I started with 48 stitches and need a total of 50. I divided 48 by 2 which gave me 24. I only have 16 stitches on each needle because I had to divide them while joining in the round. I'm very confused on how to do this in the round.
Very well explained thank you for the guidance
Thank you! The pattern wanted to go straight into a k2 tog all the way around two times. I wanted more of tapered decrease. I think I ended up doing k4 k2 together but when I got to the end it didn't end evenly because I had 4 on the needle and the 4 I knitted at the beginning of the round. It came out ok, but next time I will do the k6 k2 tog. I guess the trick is to start with the number of stitches you want to end up with instead of the number you have to start with right?
+Amy I - you want to make sure that the decrease repeat (in this case *k2tog, k6*) is divisible by the total number of stitches.
k2tog + k6 = 8
64 / 8 = 8 (a whole number)
Of course it was a great help!!!. Thank you so much
Stacy, this was good, thank you. Would you also consider a how to video for how to do the math when asked to "pick up x st and knit" as adding a collar to the neck? I NEVER get it right the first time.
That's a great idea for a video - thanks, Linda Kilgore!
You, my dear, are a sanity saver. :-) Thank you.
Thanks Staci, this is so helpful !
This is so helpful, I usually stress over increases and decreases
Again, all your videos are superb! Thanks
What my brain seems to be stuck on do you START with a decrease? Like that’s 1, or k16 then decrease. Or is it decrease, k16 decrease, k16..... etc?
I had been counting 16 stitches after the decrease (where as I needed 15! Thank you so much for that)!
Maybe I'm not understanding your question, but your pattern should be clear about where the decreases go. They can be anywhere in the knitting!
That helped a lot! Thanks so much!
So helpful - thank you so much for this! Love your channel!!!!
I'm a new knitter. In fact, All I have ever really made was some of the Easy Peasy socks (My girlfriend adores the three pair I made her, Thank you very much ;) ). I crochet and often never use a pattern. Being a mathy brained person, I have a couple questions.
Why would you not split the remaining 8 to each side?
K 20, Decrease every 16, K20
Also, Would the wrong side (Assuming stockinette) have decreases also or just perl across?
Charles Pippins - to answer your questions:
I personally would add up the first stitches (before the first increase) and the last stitches (after the last increase), divide that number in half, then use that number at the very beginning and the very end of the row to make it a bit more even. Not really necessary, but I like the symmetry. I considered teaching that in this tutorial, but I really wanted to keep things simple. Math can be overwhelming for some folks, and I felt like focusing on the basics was important.
Patterns can have a "decrease evenly" (or "increase evenly") row on the wrong side of the work, and it would be worked the same. I can't think of a pattern that does this, but it's possible.
Thank you very much.
Hi! Trying to make a sweater for my son. My math isn't coming out and I have to stay in rib pattern on WS. Reads "(WS) Work in rib established increase 12 stitches evenly across row. I need to end up with 129, divided by 12 =10.75, but increasing every 10 stitches will only give me 120. Staying in rib pattern is what is confusing me. Does it matter how I increase. Thanks for your help. I've never done this before.
Sparklefancy - I suggest contacting the pattern designer with that question. She's knit the pattern before, and will have advice for you on how she made it work for that specific pattern. Ravelry message is a good way to reach most designers. Good luck!
Your video helped, somewhat but I was looking for clear examples on increasing evenly. My pattern says to add one to the required number of increases then divide the number into number of stitches on the needle. THEN SUBTRACT one from the result and the new number is the approximate number of stitches to be worked between each increase. I start out with 104 sts to increase to 120 sts. If I follow your instructions, I will increase (using M!) every 6.5 sts. If I follow the pattern, I will increase every 5 sts. Basically, I'm still confused about increasing evenly. Any suggestions or maybe a new video?
When a pattern doesn't give you exact numbers for increasing (like K6, kfb), just getting it even-ish is fine. In your case, your pattern does give you specific instructions for figuring out where to place the increases, so I'd go with your pattern instructions (and not the general instructions I give in this video).
Thanks for sharing!
Hi, I have just found you lovely videos.
Would it be possible for you to give me some guidance on a knitting problem I have at the moment?
I am only a basic knitter and at the moment I am knitting a raglan sleeved cardigan. I need to shorten to length of the sleeves by 2" but not sure how to do this with relation to the rows of increasing. When I have finished the sleeve the underarm measures 20" which is too long for me has I need it to be 18". In the pattern I am decreasing every 10th row and then every 12th row nearer the end. However when I have done all the increasing it takes me to a sleeve length of 20". I have knitted the sleeve once and pulled it all back and restarted again and it still isn't short enough. Not sure I can face knitting a 3rd sleeve and it not be right again. Is there a way to work out decreasing so I end up with a 18" sleeve. It all feels too mathematical for me to get my head round it. I have also seen some videos on cutting the knitting and then re-joining using a Kitchener stitch which is new to me and I have never heard of it before. However, I'm not sure I am experienced enough to tackle this method, as it does look like you really have to know what you are doing. Hope you can help.
Kind regards
Elaine :)
1. measure your row gauge (the number of rows you're getting per inch) to determine how many rows you'll need to remove from the pattern to achieve the length you want
2. remove that number of rows...it doesn't have to be mathematically perfect (at all!), but take good notes so the second sleeve will match what you've done in the first one.
3. if you're still having trouble, contact the pattern designer for support. Ravelry message is usually a good way to do that.
When I say "mathematically perfect", I mean that there doesn't have to be the exact number of plain knit rows between decrease rows throughout the sleeve.
Can you help me my hat is 212 and I'm no good at math how do I find out when I'm supposed to decrease. Or dose the math you did in this video work with any large number.
Ember Abbadear - yes, the math I demonstrate in this video works on any numbers, big or small.
kay thank you so much.
Blizzards of love
Chanelle
How about in crocheting how do you decrease evenly in crochet
How does it work if its in the round as in a beanie? I feel like those last 8 stitches are very obvious as you keep decreasing. For example decrease evenly over 64 inches?
+Amy I - the example you gave of 64 stitches would be *K2tog, K 6*, no leftover 8 stitches. Then on subsequent decrease rounds, you reduce the "K 6" by one each round.
This is my first time knitting anything and I'm trying to learn as I go, but I'm so confused! I am working on mittens. I did 19/20 rows of ribbing, and on the 20th row my pattern says: increase to 38 sts, 4 sts evenly spaced. Is this M1? Or something else?
If the pattern doesn't specify which increase (or decrease) to use, it is knitter's choice. I would personally choose Make 1 stitches.
thank you alot for this video.. i have a question.. i am knitting a sweater for my son.. i have 66 stitches and the pattern says increase 2 evenly.. do i increase the 33 and 66 or 22 and 44?
+welada Al-Bazzaz - you will need to check with the pattern designer to be absolutely clear, but when I read that, I read "increase 2", meaning two stitches, to take your stitch count from 66 to 68.
yes i should increase it to 68 but my question is which stiches should i increase? the 33 amd 66 or the 22 and 44?
+welada Al-Bazzaz - two stitches won't make a big difference either way, but I would go with 22 and 44.
Don't know how I didn't figure this out on my own BUT - I didn't. I would K18 then dec and then wonder WTH happened. Thank you for this video.
Thank you! I usually spend hours figuring this stuff out and then doing a practice swatch or 3... :-)
Thank you! I think I got it now! That helps a lot! :)
Fantastic thank you xx
Why didn’t the designer of the pattern simply say decrease x stitches, knit xx stitches? They said how many to cast on, after all. Obviously not all of us can work this one out easily.
You would have to ask the individual designers this question, I don't know. I give exact numbers in my patterns, but I see the "decrease evenly" instructions in patterns all the time.
Thank u so much!!!!!
thanks alot.. 😊
I thought this was about increasing not decreasing. I think you should have explained the increasing not decreasing because your tutorial says Math for Knitters- Increasing Evenly Across a Row. I'm still not very sure as to what to do. I believe you assumed everyone was experienced knitters.
This video is about both increasing and decreasing.
Beginner knitter here but I think I am missing something : I clicked on this because the title had “increases” but she only worked out how to decrease….🤷♀️
Is it just me or are those scratches on her neck?
I don't see how this is important to the knitting...they are not scratches, not an injury. Just a skin discoloration.
VeryPink Knits I know it’s not important to the knitting. Good to know it’s just discoloration. It could’ve been from domestic violence or self harm, etc...
Junghans wolle