Snail hat Meg Swansen Vogue winter 2009

[Cathryn]

Can anyone explain how to do the special M1 increase--i've frogged the yarn so much it's starting to frazzle It's EZ hat but Meg updated it for Vogue p 32 photo 3 but can't figure how the increase works!
Cathryn in Colorado

[Jan in CA]

Usually a pattern says on it which increase they want. Her patterns can be a little hard to figure out though. I have a couple of the videos and she usually use the "backward loop" method of increases. Go the video tab at the top of the page and check out the increases. You can see it there along with others.

BTW.. there is no rule you have to use one increase. If you find one easier go for it. I change them to suit my needs all the time.

[MerigoldinWA]

I don't have that issue of Vogue but I have EZ's Knitting Without Tears and the Snail Hat is in that book. Maybe she changed the increase, but EZ just used a backward loop around the right hand needle. If the magazine has something different I suppose that would work since it was used orginally. You can find it shown in the video section in the increase part. It is the first one given.

The backward loop increase was one of EZ's favorites.

[margrue]

If you have the magazine, at the point in the text where you make the first M1, you are directed to the picture at the bottom of the page, showing the backward loop cast on stitch, and told how to do it. Just make a little loop with the yarn, with the part closest to the right hand needle on top, and the trailing edge behind, then slide it on the right hand needle as a new stitch. When you come to this stitch on the next round, treat it just like you would any other stitch.