KF&B

First, I’d just like to say that the second Sally Melville class (Emergency Measures) was also wonderful. At half a day, it wasn’t quite as comprehensive as Saturday’s class, but it was every bit as worthwhile. One of the best things I got from the class was how to calculate the correct dimensions for a set-in sleeve. Much easier to follow than anything else I’ve seen, and it made a lot more sense.

But on another note, here’s a tip that you may not have heard of. This is a great variation of the increase where you knit into the front and back of a stitch. Normally that creates a little bar across the stitch, but this improved version eliminates that, and makes a very inconspicuous increase.

Meg Swansen mentioned having just found out about it in an article in Vogue Knitting’s 25th Anniversary Issue (at the bottom of page 82, for those of you who have it). I have the magazine, and read the article, but either I glossed over this tidbit, or I just figured I’d try it sometime and then promptly forgot all about it.

It was mentioned again in the Zimmermaniacs group on Ravelry a few weeks ago, because someone had spotted a more detailed explanation (with photos) in the Schoolhouse Press newsletter #5. I saved the information, and even tried the increase just to see if I could figure it out, and then again, promptly forgot about ignored it.

In Saturday’s class, Sally mentioned several increases, including KF&B. Of course, I couldn’t remember how this new one was done, so I didn’t say anything about it. But Sunday morning I looked it up, and knitted a little sample. I took it to class, and talked to Sally about it during a break. She said that she’d heard of it, but wasn’t sure how it was done. So I gave her my printout of the newsletter photos, and showed her my sample. She thought it compared very well with the lifted increase.

Now one thing to keep in mind – the M1 and lifted increases actually create an increase on the prior row, since they’re worked into the prior row’s stitches, while the improved KF&B increases on the current row. That may or may not make a difference in what you’re doing. But one thing’s for sure, I’m definitely going to be keeping this increase in mind for the future.

Here’s my little swatch. Sorry it isn’t better, but I wasn’t planning on a photo shoot. The increases marked in the photo are:

1: Lifted Increase

2: M1 (M1L)

3: Improved KF&B

Note that they were all performed on the same row, but the KF&B appears to be a row higher than the other two. Click the photo for a big version.

My K1F&B. I like it. I think I’ll keep it.