A step-by-step tutorial on how to knit a right-leaning bar increase; perfect to mirror kfb
Have you ever wondered if there is a right-leaning counterpart to KFB, knit front and back? Well, there is, even though it is not very well known. By knitting SKL – slip, knit, lift – you can beautifully accent those right-slanting increase lines with the same sort of bar created by the more popular version of the increase.
This is a somewhat rare stitch (unrightfully so) and you may find it under different names. I’ve seen “right-leaning bar increase” or “KFB-right” but I feel that SKL is more in line with modern knitting terminology and that’s why I typically refer to it as such.
Let’s show you how to do it!
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Instructions: How to knit SKL
Knitting this right-leaning increase involves lifting a stitch back to the left needle. But other than that, it's really smooth and straight-forward to knit this version of the bar increase.
Instructions
- Slip one stitch knitwise.
- Slip the very same stitch back to the left needle purlwise (so point-to-point). You thereby twist it around once.
- Knit into the front loop of that stitch as normal.
- Drop the resulting stitch off the left needle.
- Lift the right leg of the stitch one row below you've just knitted back to the left needle.
- Next, knit the resulting loop through the back loop and drop it off the left needle to finish SKL.
Notes
Try to work very close to the tip of the needle to avoid overstretching the stitch of the previous row. Otherwise, you might end up with a more pronounced little gap.
The beauty of this right-leaning bar increase is that it utterly mirrors kfb. Use both of them on different sides of the same project and you get beautiful mirrored increase lines – just like when you are using M1R & M1L. Maybe a bit more noticeable but very pretty nonetheless.
There’s one important difference, however. Most popular knitting increases make use of a strand or stitch one row below. While normally quite inconspicuous, it stops being so when you have to increase in every row or round or you are knitting stripes.
Kfb and SKL work perfectly in those situations where you need to place a lot of adjacent increases but don’t want to resort to yarn overs or backward loop increases that typically create a little eyelet/visible hole. I love it for toe-up socks!
Anyway, that’s how to knit SKL – slip, knit, lift. Comment below if you have any questions!
Thank you so much for your stitch explanations. I love your patterns and tutorials!
I saw in your KFB instructions you have the option to slip the back loop for a slightly more “invisible” appearance. Is there an equivalent for the SKL?
I haven’t thought of it, yet. sorry. But there should be. heh.
If SKL is a “right leaning KFB” is there a “right leaning PFB” as well? I really need a purl equivalent of SKL, but I struggle to find it.
yeah, sure there is. It’s basically the same principle just the other way round. don’t think it does have a proper name tho.
Thank you so much for this SKL. Works like a charm closing up holes next to a purl raglan. Out of curiosity, do you have any ideas on how this would be done on the wrong side of the fabric? I’m trying to do short rows on a top down raglan and, not being an expert, can’t figure out how to accomplish this. I did it on one raglan, but can’t figure out how i did it, haha. I’ll keep trying, but if you have already done it, please point me to the page. Also, is it okay if I link to your page on my Ravelry notes for my project?
Again, thank you for all your work on this page. You have helped me tremendously so many times. Have a great day!
sure, you can always link to my content.
i actually never needed it on the purl side…so..i dunno. would have to work it out myself.
Maybe it’s my combination knitting, but it feels like this should be called twisted-knit-lift increase! I already wrote down twkl in my notes…
Utterly brill, Norman! Simplicity rules … 😉