1. What is the Knitting Increase Calculator?

The Knitting Increase Calculator helps knitters evenly distribute increases across a row or round. It calculates how many stitches you should have after each increase interval to achieve your desired total increase.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the following equation:

Where:

• Old Stitches — Current number of stitches on your needles
• Increase Amount — Total number of stitches you want to add
• Intervals — Number of times you'll be increasing

Explanation: The equation divides your total increase amount evenly across the specified intervals to maintain consistent shaping in your knitting project.

3. Importance of Even Increases

Details: Even increases are crucial for creating smooth, professional-looking shaping in garments, hats, socks, and other knitted items. Uneven increases can cause puckering or irregular shaping.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter your current stitch count, the total number of stitches you want to add, and how many times you plan to increase (e.g., every row, every other row). All values must be positive integers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What if my increase amount isn't divisible by intervals?
A: The calculator provides a decimal result. In practice, you'll alternate between rounding up and down to distribute the increases evenly.

Q2: Can I use this for decreasing stitches?
A: Yes, simply enter a negative number for the increase amount to calculate even decreases.

Q3: How do I apply this in my knitting?
A: The result tells you how many stitches you should have after each increase interval. Mark your intervals with stitch markers for accuracy.

Q4: What's the best way to space increases?
A: For most projects, spreading increases evenly around the piece (e.g., at 4 points for a hat) creates the most balanced shaping.

Q5: Can I use this for crochet?
A: Yes, the same principle applies to evenly increasing stitches in crochet projects.