Today we will learn how to make two of the most common knitting increases, make 1 right (m1r) and make 1 left (m1l). You have probably seen these knitting stitches in sweater and shawl patterns. These are great increases for textured designs because they naturally do not leave any holes where the new stitch is made. This is in contrast to increases like a yarnover (YO), which will leave a hole unless you knit it through the back loop on the wrong side.

Make 1 right (m1r) and make 1 left (m1l) are also great options when you do not want an increase that is going to be very noticeable, in contrast to a knit front and back (kfb), for example. As you might have guessed, the “right” and “left” refer to which way the new stitch “leans,” which is why you may have heard these stitches referred to as right-leaning or left-leaning increases.

I have included a short photo tutorial for both of these increases at the beginning of this post, but not to worry, we will go through them in much more detail if you scroll down. I have included the short tutorials first so you can save or screenshot them to your device for easy reference later.

1. m1r and m1l are both made by picking up the yarn “bar” between the stitches on either side of where your new stitch needs to be made.
2. Use the right needle to pick up this bar. The red arrow shows you which direction you will insert the left needle in the next step.
3. For m1r, insert your left needle from BACK to FRONT through the yarn bar.
4. This is what the loop should look like on your left needle.
5. Knit the new loop through the FRONT leg of the stitch, just as if you were knitting a stitch like normal.
6. You have now made a new right-leaning stitch!

1. m1r and m1l are both made by picking up the yarn “bar” between the stitches on either side of where your new stitch needs to be made.
2. Use the right needle to pick up this bar. The red arrow shows you which direction you will insert the left needle in the next step.
3. For m1l, insert your left needle from FRONT to BACK through the yarn bar.
4. This is what the loop should look like on your left needle.
5. Knit the new loop through the BACK leg of the stitch, just as if you were knitting a regular stitch through the back loop.
6. You have now made a new left-leaning stitch!

How to make 1 right (m1r) longer version:

Step 1: Find the yarn “bar.”

Make 1 increases are great because you do not have to work them within an existing stitch, so you can place them anywhere you need them.

Instead, you work them in the yarn “bar” that connects the two stitches on either side of where you need your new stitch.

This “bar” will act as the new loop which will become your new stitch. (This is the same for both m1r and m1l.)

There are other connecting yarn strands between the two stitches, but you want the one that is closest to you.

Step 2: Pick up the “bar.”

Now, you will use your right needle to pick up the bar from front to back. The reason it is front to back is to avoid twisting the bar. (This is the same step for both m1r and m1l.)

Step 3: Insert left needle from BACK to FRONT.

This step is where instructions become different between m1r and m1l.

For m1r, insert your left needle from BACK to FRONT of the bar that you have picked up.

Step 4: Loop is on left needle.

This picture just shows you what the orientation of the loop looks like on the left needle when you have removed your right needle.

The next step is what completes the stitch and makes sure that it becomes a “right-leaning” increase.

Step 5: Knit loop through the FRONT loop.

Now, you are going to knit the loop that is on the left needle.

You are going to knit this loop the same way as you would knit any stitch normally–through the FRONT loop.

The way I remember it is like this: Make 1 RIGHT is BACK to FRONT, knit through FRONT. FRONT has 5 letters, and so does RIGHT.

Step 6: Completed make 1 right increase!

Now you have a new stitch on your right needle!

Great job–you have made a m1r increase!

If you look closely at your new stitch, you can see that the base of it leans right.

How to make 1 left (m1l) longer version:

Step 1: Find the yarn “bar.”

(The first two steps are the same for both m1r and m1l.)

You work your m1l in the yarn “bar” that connects the two stitches on either side of where you need your new stitch.

This “bar” will act as the new loop which will become your new stitch.

There are other connecting yarn strands between the two stitches, but you want the one that is closest to you.

Step 2: Pick up the “bar.”

Now, you will use your right needle to pick up the bar from front to back. The reason it is front to back is to avoid twisting the bar. (This is the same step for both m1l and m1r.)

Step 3: Insert left needle from FRONT to BACK.

This step is where instructions become different between m1l and m1r.

For m1l, insert your left needle from FRONT to BACK of the bar that you have picked up.

Step 4: Loop is on left needle.

This picture just shows you what the orientation of the loop looks like on the left needle when you have removed your right needle.

The next step is what completes the stitch and makes sure that it becomes a “left-leaning” increase.

Step 5: Knit loop through the BACK loop.

Now, you are going to knit the loop that is on the left needle through the BACK loop. If you have ever knit twisted rib or any knit stitch through the back loop, you will already be familiar with how to do this.

You may need to angle your knitting like in the picture so that you can see the BACK loop to work into.

The way I remember it is like this: Make 1 LEFT is FRONT to BACK, knit through BACK. BACK has 4 letters, and so does LEFT.

Step 6: Completed make 1 left increase!

Now you have a new stitch on your right needle!

Great job–you have made a m1l increase!

If you look closely at your new stitch, you can see that the base of it leans left.

Thank you so much for viewing this tutorial, and I hope that it helped! Happy Knitting, Lena