Backwards Loop Increase
A backwards loop placed on the needle adds one stitch invisibly on the next row. It is the simplest increase available, often used in the middle of a row when adding stitches for thumb gussets and cast-on shaping.
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Method
With the working yarn in your right hand, loop it around your left thumb so the strand running off your thumb crosses over the front of the loop. Slip the loop onto the right needle. Tighten gently.
Visual
The increase is moderately invisible on stockinette but tends to leave a small loose loop on the wrong side. On garter stitch and reverse stockinette, the increase blends in completely.
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Best use
Adding stitches at the end of a row (for example, the underarm of a top-down sleeve, or the thumb gusset of a mitten). Also used in some Estonian and Latvian patterns for decorative shaping.
Limitations
Loose, hard to keep even, and easy to mistake for a yarn-over. For invisible single-stitch increases mid-row, prefer M1L / M1R instead.
Abbreviation reference
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| e-loop | backwards loop / e-loop |
Tips
- Always tighten the loop after placing it on the needle — loose backwards loops twist on the next row.
- Use the backwards loop increase for adding 2–4 stitches at the end of a row; for more, switch to the cable cast on.
- In garter stitch the backwards loop is invisible — a useful trick for decorative shaping.
In depth
The backwards loop increase is functionally a one-stitch backwards loop cast on placed in the middle of a row. It is the simplest possible increase and the slowest stretch, but its tendency to loosen makes it second choice to M1 for general shaping.