Top knitting and yarn resources

I finally got around to posting blog photos documenting my progress of knitting the Chevron Panels pattern (a.k.a. the January 6th knitting pattern of the day in the Vogue Knitting Stitch-a-Day 2011 Calendar).

Part of the Chevron Panels pattern required increase stitches be made via Making 1 Stitch (M1). As a result, I had decided to create an illustrated guide on how to make 1 stitch in knitting… where I would walk users through the process, step-by-step, in the form of photographs.

I thought this “How To?” Photo Guide to Making 1 Stitch (M1) was worthy of its own blog post, so here we go! Enjoy.

Illustrated Guide on How to Knit an Increase Stitch by “Making 1 Right” (a.k.a. M1R)

As previously mentioned, the Chevron Panels pattern calls for increase stitches be made via Making 1 (M1). Some sources say if the pattern doesn’t specify whether the M1 stitch is a M1L (Make 1 Left) or a M1R (Make 1 Right), you should opt for an M1L increase. However, I have a soft spot for M1R, and always depend on it whenever I’m making stitches in a pattern (only ’cause I feel it forms less of a “hole” or “opening” in the row).

You may not feel the same, which is fine. But if you’re just learning how to Make 1 Stitch, I would suggest giving M1R a try.

The "before" photo...

Step 1: Lift the horizontal yarn “bar” (i.e. the yarn running between your left and right needle from the row below) with your right needle from front to back

Note: Other sources may ask for you to directly lift the horizontal yarn “bar” with your left needle (inserting from back to front), but I find it easier to add an extra step of lifting it with the right needle first (inserting from front to back), and then transferring it to your left needle afterward (more on this further down).

Step 2: Transfer the horizontal yarn "bar" (previously lifted with the right needle from front to back) from your right needle to your left needle

Note: As you can see, the end result is the same as if you had directly lifted the “bar” with your left needle from back to front.

Step 3: Knit into the front of this newly-picked up yarn “bar” on the left needle by inserting your right needle from left to right into the front part of the stitch

Note: Once inserted into the loop, your right needle should end up behind the left needle… as if knitting a regular stitch.

Step 4: Wrap yarn from back to front in a counterclockwise direction around the right needle, as if to knit a regular stitch

Step 5: Pull the right needle (with the yarn still wrapped around it) through the left needle loop from back to front, as if knitting a regular stitch

The "after" photo... you now have a newly knitted increase stitch, finished and resting on your right needle!

Chevron Panels: Knitting Pattern for Jan 6th

Chevron Panels: Knitting pattern of the day for January 6th, 2011

# of Yarn Colors Required:
1 color

# Stitches/Rows in Each Multiple/Repeat (As Called For in Pattern):
[(16-stitch repeat) + 3 stitches] x [16 rows]

# Stitches/Rows in My 8″ x 8″ Square Swatch:
[35 stitches] x [48 rows]

Intro to Knitting the Chevron Panels Pattern

The Chevron Panels knitting pattern is comprised of a 6-row multiple/repeat, made up of a combination of knitted stitches, purled stitches, decreased stitches via “Purling 3 Together” (a.k.a. p3tog), and increased stitches via “Making 1” (a.k.a. M1).

Finished a few 6-row repeats while knitting the beginning of my 8" x 8" Chevron Panels square swatch

Here’s a zoomed-in view of 1 rib column of the Chevron Panels knitting pattern…

Zoomed-in view of 1 rib column in the Chevron Panels knitting pattern

Illustrated Guide to Knit an Increase Stitch by “Making 1 Right” (a.k.a. M1R)

As previously mentioned, the pattern calls for increase stitches to be made via “Making 1” (a.k.a. M1). Some sources say if the pattern doesn’t specify whether the M1 stitch is a Make 1 Left or a M 1 Right, you should opt for a a “Make 1 Left” increase (a.k.a. M1L). However, I have a soft spot for “Make 1 Right” (a.k.a. M1R), and always depend on it whenever I’m making stitches in a pattern (only ’cause I feel it forms less of a “hole” or “opening” in the row).

The following series of photographs is my illustrated guide on how to create an increase stitch by “Making 1 Right” (a.k.a. M1R)…

The "before" photo...

Start off by lifting the horizontal yarn “bar” (i.e. the yarn running between your left and right needle from the row below) with your right needle right front to back.

Note: Other sources may ask for you to directly lift the horizontal yarn “bar” with your left needle (inserting from back to front), but I find it easier to add an extra step of lifting it with the right needle first (inserting from front to back), and then transferring it to your left needle afterward (more on this further down).

Step 1: Lift the horizontal yarn “bar” (i.e. the yarn running between your left and right needle from the row below) with your right needle from front to back

Here, you can see what I meant before about transferring the horizontal yarn “bar” (previously lifted with the right needle from front to back) from your right needle to your left needle. The end result is the same as if you had directly lifted the “bar” with your left needle from back to front.

Step 2: Transfer the horizontal yarn "bar" (previously lifted with the right needle from front to back) from your right needle to your left needle

You will now knit into the front of this newly-picked up yarn “bar” on the left needle, done by inserting your right needle from left to right into the front part of the stitch. The end result? Once inserted into the loop, your right needle should end up behind the left needle… as if knitting a regular stitch.

Step 3: Knit into the front of this newly-picked up yarn “bar” on the left needle by inserting your right needle from left to right into the front part of the stitch

Now wrap the yarn from back to front in a counterclockwise direction around the right needle, as if to knit a regular stitch…

Step 4: Wrap yarn from back to front in a counterclockwise direction around the right needle, as if to knit a regular stitch

Follow that by pulling your right needle (with the yarn still wrapped around) through the left needle loop from back to front, as if knitting a regular stitch…

Step 5: Pull the right needle (with the yarn still wrapped around it) through the left needle loop from back to front, as if knitting a regular stitch

You now have a newly knitted increase stitch, finished and resting on your right needle!

The "after" photo... you now have a newly knitted increase stitch, finished and resting on your right needle!

Illustrated Guide to Knitting Chevron Panels (Finished Square Swatch)

Bird's eye view of an 8" x 8" square swatch knitted in Chevron Panels pattern

Angled corner view of my 8" x 8" Chevron Panels pattern knitted square swatch

Close-up view of the ribbed columns of chevron arrows in the knitting pattern

Top corner view of my 8" x 8" Chevron Panels pattern knitted square swatch

View of 1 rib column within the Chevron Panels knitting pattern

How to Knit Chevron Panels YouTube Video

Lastly, here’s a knitting instructional video I made on How to Knit the Chevron Panels Pattern from the Vogue Knitting Stitch-a-Day Calendar. If you have any further questions or need additional help, feel free to leave me a comment!

Click here for everything pertaining to my Vogue Knitting Stitch-a-Day 2011 Calendar quilt project.