Knit Front and Back: How to Do It Step by Step

Knit Front and Back is a knitting stitch that makes visible increase with a small purl-like bar. Makers reach for it for easy increases, toe-up socks, amigurumi-style shaping. It is rated beginner here, so it is a good stitch to learn early and practice on a small swatch before a real project.

1. Knit into the front of the next stitch but leave it on the left needle. 2. Swing the right needle behind and insert it into the back loop of the same stitch. 3. Wrap and knit the back loop. 4. Slide the stitch off the left needle. Two stitches were made from one. Work slowly for the first few repeats, keep your tension even, and check the result against the steps before continuing across a whole row or motif.

US patterns abbreviate knit front and back as kfb. UK patterns write it as kfb (inc), so always check whether a pattern uses US or UK terms before you start, because the same abbreviation can mean a different stitch. Pattern keys list every abbreviation used, usually near the materials list.

The most common problems are: sliding the stitch off after the first knit; using it where an invisible increase is needed. Most are easy to spot if you pause after a few repeats and compare your work with the steps. Good light helps a great deal, especially with dark yarn or thread.

Stitches closely related to knit front and back include Make One Left, Make One Right, Knit Two Together. Learning them together makes patterns easier to read, because many designs switch between related stitches to change texture, height or line. Each has its own step-by-step page in the stitch dictionary.