How to Increase Stitches Evenly Across a Row

You probably got here looking for information on "The magic formula" right?  Well, I'm  not going to explain it here, but this page uses it to calculate how to increase stitches evenly across a row.

From The Knitting Fiend. Your source for free knitting patterns, tips and mindless knitting chatter on the web. 

Guess what? I wrote a also calculator to suggest ways to  decrease evenly, or how to increase stitches from the cuff to bicep on a sleeve.  I'm compiling an index of calculators here.

Enter number of stitches in the row: stitches.
Enter number of stitches to you need to increase. (This program won't let you increase more stitches than you already have on the needle. It can, however be done. I would just need to reword the example below to permit a larger number of increases in a stitch and then program new boxes.)

stitches
Number on needle after increasing. (Don't even try to change this; I'm calculating here!)
stitches.

Note: M1 stands for "Make 1". There are several ways to make 1, I  knit into the bar below the next stitch on the working needle.
Here are two possible ways to increase stitches evenly across the row.
  1. Unbalanced.
    • ( knit , M1 knit 1) times,  end knit .
    • Notice that this method reduces sort of evenly, but the first decrease and last decreases may be different distances from the edge.  Sometimes, depending on the number of stitches in the row, this "unbalanced" decrease happens to work out the same as the next increase.  For many items, this a perfectly good method to calculate decreases. Most people can also figure out that if they take stitches from the first groups and shift them to the end,  things get more balanced.
  2. Balanced space at edge.
    • Knit , ( M1, knit ) times, ( M1, knit ) times, ( M1, knit ) times, M1, knit .
    • Notice this method is as symmetric as possible around the center stitch. It is a pain in the neck to calculate, but it prevents your sweater hem from shifting strangely to one side.  Some people don't ever bother to do make sure their increases are balanced and work unbalanced increases even when it matters. On the other hand, some people use the percentage method to calculate their sweaters and tolerate tight or loose sleeves, tight or loose armholes and other uncomfortable ugly knitting phenomena.   (These people sometimes spend $5,000,000 on Noro Silk Garden to knit their sweaters. )

I could write even more complicated codes, suggest other ways to increase across the row, or do a variety of other things. I'm not going to bother because advanced knitters already have their favorite way and beginners only need to understand these things:
  • If it really matters, the designer should tell you precisely how to increase.
  • Many designers don't tell you even when they should.  When in doubt use any balanced decrease; you could visit this page again and type your numbers, or fudge the math as best you can.  (I have a friend who just uses a bunch of toothpicks and places them in piles to do the math. That works.)
  • If you advance to the point where you are designing your own sweater, you get to decide if you really need to increase in a balanced way, or if unbalanced is acceptable to you.

Have fun knitting!
Lucia