M1R (Make 1 Right)
M1R is an increase technique that creates a new stitch by lifting the strand between two stitches and knitting it twisted, so the increase slants right.
Explanation
M1R (make one right) is one of the most common ways to increase invisibly. You lift the strand between stitches from back to front and knit into the front loop, which twists the stitch so the increase slants to the right. Because it is nearly invisible in stockinette, M1R is often paired with M1L to create matched, symmetrical increases on either side of a sleeve or raglan line.
Also known as: Make 1 Right
How to make an M1R
Lift the strand between two stitches onto the left needle from back to front, and knit it through the front loop. The back-to-front lift combined with knitting the front loop is what twists the stitch and closes the hole.
The result is an increase that leans right and is nearly invisible. It is used as the mirror image of M1L.
Where it is used
In raglan increases M1R often sits immediately before the marker, with M1L immediately after, so the pair frames the raglan line symmetrically — but the opposite order is just as common in published patterns. Exact placement varies between patterns, so always follow the one you are knitting; the principle is simply that the two methods mirror each other.
Because it hides so well, it suits any shaping where you do not want the increase to read as a design feature.
Where M1R belongs in shaping
M1R and M1L exist as a pair, and the point of using them rather than a simpler increase is that they lean in opposite directions. On sleeve or side-seam shaping worked at both edges, the increases mirror each other and the shaping line reads as deliberate rather than accidental.
The convention is that the increase leans towards the edge it sits nearest, so M1R goes at the end of a right-side row and M1L at the beginning. Both are worked into the strand between two stitches, which is why they are close to invisible — but that same strand is what makes them tight. If you are fighting to get the needle in, you are working the strand too tight rather than doing it wrong.
Common mistakes
- Knitting the lifted strand through the back loop, which leaves a hole.
- Using M1R on both sides of the shaping instead of mirroring with M1L.
Keywords
- M1R
- make one right
- increase
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between M1R and M1L?
Which way the stitch is twisted, and therefore which way the increase leans. They are used as a pair for symmetrical shaping.
Why is there a hole under my increase?
Because the stitch is not twisted. Lift the strand from back to front and knit the front loop, and the hole closes.
Why is my M1R so hard to knit into?
Because it is meant to be. The increase works by twisting the horizontal strand between stitches to close the hole it would otherwise leave, so it is tight by design. Using the left needle tip to lift the strand, then knitting into the back of it with the very tip of the right needle, is easier than trying to force the whole needle through.