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Increase / Decrease Evenly Calculator

Work out exactly where to place increases or decreases to move evenly from your current stitch count to a target count.

The instruction repeats cleanly in the round. For a flat row, shift the first and last shaping point inward so they do not fall at the edges.

About this tool

Increase / Decrease Evenly Calculator is a free, in-browser tool that solves the fiddliest line in a knitting pattern: "increase (or decrease) N stitches evenly across the row." Enter your current stitch count and the target count, and it writes out the exact row instruction — how many stitches to work between each shaping point and how to spread any leftover. Everything is computed locally; nothing is uploaded.

The method finds the number of shaping points as the difference between the two counts, then divides the current stitches into that many groups. The base group size is the whole-number quotient, and the remainder is spread so that some groups hold one extra stitch, keeping the spacing as even as possible. For a decrease it turns each group into "knit a few, then k2tog"; for an increase into "knit a few, then make one (M1)." Decreasing 10 stitches evenly across 60, for instance, gives 60 ÷ 10 = groups of 6, so you work "[K4, k2tog] 10 times" to finish with 50.

Use it for yoke shaping, cuff-to-body transitions and any "space evenly" instruction. The pattern shown works cleanly in the round; for a flat row you can shift the first and last shaping point slightly inward so they do not fall on the very edges of the piece.

Frequently asked questions

How does "decrease evenly" actually work?
The tool divides your stitches into as many groups as there are decreases, then reads each group as "knit the plain stitches, then k2tog." Any remainder is spread by giving some groups one extra plain stitch, so the decreases stay evenly spaced across the row.
What do K4, k2tog and M1 mean?
K4 means knit four stitches; k2tog means knit two together, a decrease; and M1 means make one, an increase worked between stitches. The instruction repeats these so the shaping points land at even intervals rather than bunching up.
Why can't I decrease more than half my stitches?
Each k2tog uses two stitches, so decreasing more than half the row would need more stitches than you have. If you ask for that, the tool flags it — split the change over more than one row instead.
Does the instruction work for flat rows and in the round?
The pattern is written for working in the round, where the repeat closes neatly. For a flat row, nudge the first and last shaping point a little inward so an increase or decrease does not sit right at the selvedge edge.

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