Knit Inc Sampler Squares | 7 Lesson Series

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. Each lesson in the 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.

Lesson Notes

Pattern: Knit Inc Sampler Squares
Yarn: Ewe Ewe Yarns Wooly Worsted
Needles: skacel by addi Natura Bamboo US size 8 (5 mm) DPNs

Lesson Guide

Cast On/Bind Off

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 CO and the Pinhole CO.

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 RS to WS, then down through the fastened off stitch.