Q about increasing

:XX: I started knitting in October 2005 and I have made few scarves (5 to be exact) and one simple kids hat.

I am knitting my first sweater, i.e. sweater for my 3 yo son. The back and the front are done. I am working on the sleeves now and I have to do my first increase. I know how to do it. I will use the kfb (knit front back) inc. The pattern reads: “inc 1 st each edge of second RS row, then every 4th row 10 more times”. My question is, if I should do the inc on the first/last st in the row, or should I do it on the second/second from the end st.

When I was shaping the neck, and I had to dec 1 st at each neck edge, an accomplished knitter told me not to knit the two last sts together, but to k2tog and always have 1 st at each edge just knitted. But I forgot to ask her if the same goes for increasing.

How do you do the increase when it is required to be done on the edge of a garment?

It’s really not that critical. If you kfb one stitch in, you’ll see it. If you kfb on the edge stitch, it will be hidden by the seaming.

You can also do a M1 between the first two and last two stitches. Actually this is the most invisible one and saves the edge for a nice seaming.

Insert the tip of the left needle under the bar between the two stitches from front to back. Then knit into the small loop at the back of the stitch. It’s a little awkward, but works very well. Don’t knit into the front or you’ll get a hole.

:XX: Thank you for your advice Ingrid. I decided to do the M1 increase, as you suggested, and it is going pretty good.