Increase and Decrease Evenly Calculator

How to use it

1. Count the stitches on your needle now.
2. Choose increase or decrease, and enter how many stitches the pattern adds or takes away.
3. Choose flat (back and forth in rows) or in the round.
4. Work the row as written. The result also shows how many stitches you should have at the end.

How the stitches are spread

On a flat row the changes sit between plain stretches, with a plain stretch at each edge so the edges and seams stay tidy. When the stitches do not divide exactly, the longer and shorter stretches are placed symmetrically, so both halves of the piece match.

In the round there are no edges. The round is split into as many stretches as there are changes, each followed by one increase or decrease, and the shortest block that repeats all the way around is written once with a count.

Worked example

You have 52 stitches and the pattern says to increase 8 evenly, working flat. 8 increases make 9 plain stretches, and 52 divided by 9 is 5 with 7 left over: seven stretches get 6 stitches and two get 5. The two short ones are spread out, which gives [K6, M1, k6, M1, k5, M1, k6, M1] 2 times, k6. You end with 60 stitches.

In the round the same 52 stitches with 8 increases is [K6, M1, k7, M1] 4 times, also 60 stitches.

Which increase and decrease to use

• M1 (make one) is worked between two stitches. M1L and M1R are its left- and right-leaning versions; a yarn over makes a small hole and suits lace.
• Kfb (knit front and back) is worked into a stitch. The calculator only uses it when you double a flat row, because then there are more increases than gaps between stitches.
• K2tog (knit two together) is the standard decrease. Ssk leans the other way and works just as well.
• On a wrong-side row, purl the plain stitches and use the purl versions: M1P, pfb or p2tog.