How to: increase a knit stitch (m1)

When you see m1 in a pattern, this is asking you to increase your stitch count by one stitch. It is a left-leaning increase in stocking stitch, and is worked using the horizontal bar between stitches.

This m1 increase is always on a knit stitch, and may also be written as m1L.

You’re likely to employ this type of increase a good deal as it’s an easy way to make your knitted fabric wider. It creates a subtle left-leaning increase when worked on the right side of stocking stitch and has to be worked between two stitches, as it uses the horizontal bar between them. Simply pick up this bar from front to back with your left-hand needle, then knit into the back of the loop and lift it off the needle. Patterns may use a variety of different increase and decrease stitches, so be sure to use the right one to match the pattern exactly.