Okay, I know this is a simple pattern, but it calls for kfb as the increase. Half the time that works and half the time the yarn gets all snarled. I can’t imagine battling with it for a whole shawl’s worth of knitting. Can I use a different increase, like M1? Does it matter in this particular pattern? TIA!!!
Really? Are you doing it correctly? :??
You can do any increase you want as it’s your shawl. Be aware though that some aren’t as tight and some leave tiny holes. Practice first. KFB is the least visible on garter stitch I think.
Kfb isn’t necessarily my favorite inc but I find it’s quick and easy and the only time doing it gives me problems is if I’m knitting tight either on purpose because I want a tight stitch and I’m using small needles for the yarn or I’m tense or if my yarn is particularly prone to splitting and I’m in a bad mood or something. Maybe watching a video as a refresher would be a good idea. Sometimes I [I]know[/I] I’m doing something right, then watch a video and find out I wasn’t. What I don’t like is needing to make a correction several rows back that involves a kfb coming off the needles. I’ve yet to figure out how to make that particular correction. That can make me want to have a tantrum and scream, KFB! I HATE KFB! Cute pattern.
I’m not a huge fan of kfb myself but I agree with Jan that it works well in garter. You could use M1 in this pattern which certainly looks like a fun knit.
Thanks! That would be my inclination, but I will also re-visit how to do kfb. The last time I used it was to make tiny fish to sew onto a hat, and it was unbelievable how many times I had to do the kfbs over.
Yes, it’s sock yarn and small needles, and the yarn is a little splitty (Painted Desert). I will look at some refresher videos, too.
I guess I was also wondering if, in this case, M1 would work as well as kfb. Like, I know a y/o causes a hole, but as far as I can tell, substituting one for the other won’t make a huge difference design-wise in this case.
I have some bamboo sock yarn that is horrible for splitting, it’s what I was thinking of above. Yuck! It won’t be socks, I don’t know yet what it will be and because it splits so easily there may not be any increases…I guess that means a rectangular piece. I’m sure you’ll figure something out here. I’m trying to decide, should I sub ssk for skp. I had to come see that I slip the st knitwise for this. I’m glad I’d only done a few of them because I was slipping purlwise.
I checked out a video (Amy’s from this site) and I’m doing it correctly as far as I can see. Like I said, sometimes I wind up with 2 distinct stitches, yet other times it gets tangled into a single big thick stitch. It’s wierd! I will go with M1 for now and see how it goes.
It is certainly a cute shawl! Whether you use kfb or M1 (which is my personal preference) is a matter of choice, my only recommendation is to go with the one you like the look of the best and use it consistently. 
Just curious which M1 you all are referring to? There’s so many I get them mixed up.
I mostly use KFB and try to incorporate the bump as a design feature. It’s good to know others though anyway because so e patterns just don’t work well otherwise.
I think it’s make one away…anyway, I switched to a different yarn and the kfb is going well.
Here are some videos, hope they help:
Technically, any of the M1.