Increase or Decrease Evenly Calculator: Exact Row and Round Instructions

Patterns love the phrase "increase 9 stitches evenly across the row" and then leave the arithmetic to you. Enter your stitch count and the change, choose flat or in the round, and pick how you increase. The calculator writes the exact instruction, remainder included, and checks that every stitch is accounted for.

Your row or round

Stitches now

Stitches to change

Increase or decrease IncreaseDecrease

Working Flat (rows)In the round

Shaping stitch Knit: m1 or yo between stitches, k2tog Knit: kfb into a stitch, k2tog Crochet: 2 sc in next st, sc2tog

Use ssk or a left-leaning decrease in place of k2tog if you prefer; the count is the same.

Your results

Work this row

K4, m1, [k10, m1] 4 times, [k9, m1] 4 times, k5.

Stitches after	94
Shaping about every	9.4 sts
Plain stitches per section	9 or 10
In the round instead	[k10, m1] 4 times, [k9, m1] 5 times.

How do you calculate increasing evenly across a row?

Spacing shaping evenly is a division problem with a remainder. The calculator works in three steps, and it uses the same function for the default result above and for every table on this page.

1. Find the plain stitches. Start with your stitch count, then subtract any stitches the shaping itself uses. A make one (m1) or yarn over is worked between stitches and uses none. A kfb or a crochet increase uses one stitch each. A k2tog or sc2tog uses two. For 85 stitches and 9 m1 increases, all 85 stitches are plain.
2. Divide by the number of increases or decreases. 85 / 9 = 9 with a remainder of 4. That makes 9 sections: 4 of them get 10 stitches and the other 5 get 9. Sections that differ by one stitch are as even as whole stitches allow.
3. Place the sections. In the round, every section is followed by a shaping stitch: [k10, m1] 4 times, [k9, m1] 5 times. On a flat row, one 9 stitch section is split across both ends, 4 at the start and 5 at the end, so no increase sits on an edge stitch: K4, m1, [k10, m1] 4 times, [k9, m1] 4 times, k5.

You can check any instruction by adding it up. In the flat version above: 4 + (4 x 10) + (4 x 9) + 5 = 85 stitches worked, plus 9 new stitches, gives 94. The calculator runs that check on every result before showing it.

How do you decrease evenly in knitting?

Decreases follow the same pattern, except each one eats two stitches. For a hat crown worked in the round with 96 stitches and 12 decreases, subtract 24 stitches for the decreases, which leaves 72 plain stitches, or 6 before each k2tog: [k6, k2tog] 12 times. That leaves 84 stitches, and repeating the idea every other round builds the familiar pinwheel crown.

On a flat piece, such as the top of a sleeve or a yoke worked back and forth, the edges get the split section again. Taking 110 stitches down by 8 gives: K5, k2tog, [k12, k2tog] 6 times, k11, k2tog, k6. You end with 102 stitches. If your pattern wants the decreases to mirror, use k2tog on the right half and ssk on the left half; the count does not change.

If you want to see what each shaping stitch looks like, our stitch pages walk through the make one left (M1L), make one right (M1R), knit front and back (kfb), knit two together and slip slip knit.

Increase and decrease evenly examples for flat and round knitting

These are common counts from hats, yokes, sleeves and blanket borders, all worked with m1 increases and k2tog decreases. Brackets mean repeat the stitches inside as many times as shown.

Which increase should you use when increasing evenly?

The choice changes the look more than the math, but it does change the math in one way: whether the increase is worked between stitches or into one.

• Make one (M1L or M1R) lifts the bar between two stitches. It is nearly invisible and uses no existing stitch, which is why it is the default here.
• Yarn over also sits between stitches and uses none, but leaves a small hole. That is ideal in lace and yokes that are meant to show the shaping.
• Knit front and back (kfb) is worked into a stitch and leaves a little purl bump. Because it uses a stitch, the section before each kfb is one stitch shorter. For the same 85 stitch row it becomes: K4, kfb, [k9, kfb] 4 times, [k8, kfb] 4 times, k4.

Crochet increases, such as 2 single crochet in one stitch, work like kfb: each one uses a stitch. Choose crochet in the calculator for sc style instructions. Our US and UK crochet terms chart translates sc and sc2tog if your pattern uses UK terms.

How many stitches per round in a flat crochet circle?

Amigurumi, coasters, hats worked from the top and round rugs all start from the same rule: 6 single crochet in a magic ring, then 6 increases per round. Each row below comes straight from the calculator in the round with crochet increases, so you can see the section size grow by one stitch every round.

Many amigurumi patterns offset the increase by half a section on alternate rounds so the circle stays round instead of forming six corners. The stitch count is identical. To turn the widest round into a finished size, use the amigurumi size calculator.

Why does my stitch count come out wrong after an increase row?

Almost always it is one of three things. The first is counting the new stitch as part of the next section, which shifts every increase by one. The second is using kfb when the math assumed make one: each kfb uses a stitch, so the row runs out early. The third is the last repeat. With a remainder, the last few sections are one stitch shorter than the first few, and it is easy to keep knitting the longer section out of habit. Count the stitches on the needle at the end of the row and compare with the result above.

Shaping rows are also where eyes get tired: small markers, dark yarn and tiny stitches. Bright, true color light helps more than most knitters expect. The Daylight Slimline 4 Floor puts 6,000K light right over your lap, and a set of sharp steel tips like the ChiaoGoo Twist Red Lace Complete makes it easier to pick up the bar for a make one cleanly.