Knit Inc Sampler Squares: Getting Started

When I first started knitting, I stressed every time I saw the abbreviation INC in a pattern because I had no idea how I should magically increase a stitch. (Confession... I also had no idea that there were so many different ways to add a stitch in my knitting.)

As I transitioned to life as a designer I began to swatch out everything so I can see what different stitches patterns, decreases, increases, cast ons, bind offs, etc. look like before I use them in a pattern. It is so helpful to compare the results of different knitting techniques side by side.

With that in mind, this post begins a series of lessons and simple block patterns to help you learn, practice and compare a variety increasing methods.

Before You Begin

Each lesson in this series will teach you one or two ways to increase a stitch and will include a pattern for a simple knit block or two.

You can make 1 block to try a new-to-you method, or knit lots of blocks and join them together into a larger piece like a scarf, blanket, poncho... You could knit all of your blocks the same color, or use lots of different colors. Have fun, be creative and enjoy learning.

Materials

• Ewe Ewe Yarns Wooly Worsted (50g/1.75 oz, 95 yds, 80 m)
• addi Natura Bamboo US size 8 (5 mm) DPNs

Thanks to Ewe Ewe Yarns for providing all of the colorful Wooly Worsted yarn I'm knitting with in this series. If you're planning to use your squares to make a larger project, using the recommended yarn and needle size yields blocks that are about 6 inches square. I was able to safely get 3 blocks per ball of yarn.

Also, thanks to Skacel for providing the DPNs used in this series. They are available locally at many yarn shops and online at Makers' Mercantile.

Printable Lessons and Block Patterns

A printable .PDF version of the Knit Inc Sampler Squares Tutorials and Block Patterns is available for purchase in my shop. Pattern purchases allow me to continue creating instructional resources for knitters worldwide.

Casting On

Since all of the blocks in this series are knit in the round, from the center of the square out, two cast ons that work well are:

Emily Ocker's Circular Cast On

Invisible Circular Cast On

Binding Off

Squares can be bound off with a traditional knit bind off. To prevent a gap at the corner of the square, after fastening off the bind off, use a yarn needle to pull the tail under both legs of the first bound off stitch, from front to back, then down through the fastened off stitch.

Lessons

• Lesson 1: Make 1 Left (M1L) and Make 1 Right (M1R) 
• Lesson 2: Lifted Increase Left (LIL) and Lifted Increase Right (LIR)
• Lesson 3: Median Increase Left (MIL) and Median Increase Right (MIR)
• Lesson 4: Yarn Over and Open Make 1
• Lesson 5: Closed Yarn Overs
• Lesson 6: Knit Front Back (kfb) and Knit Purl (kp) 
• Lesson 7: Four Double Increases