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kfb: Knit into front and back
Knit into the front of the stitch but do not drop it. An increase adds stitches, so the stitch count at the end of the row is higher than at the start. Patterns usually state the new total in brackets.
How to work kfb
Knit into the front of the stitch but do not drop it. Then knit into the back loop of the same stitch and slide the old stitch off. This makes two stitches from one and leaves a small purl bump.
Common mistake
Dropping the original stitch after the first knit, which gives no increase.
Effect on your stitch count
It adds 1 stitch.
How it looks in a pattern
A typical line (an invented example for illustration):
Row 7 (RS): K1, kfb, knit to last 2 sts, kfb, k1.Spacing it evenly
Need to spread kfb evenly across a row? Use the increase and decrease calculator.
Related abbreviations
All terms are in the knitting abbreviations list, and in the app's Glossary, which works offline.
Frequently asked questions
What does kfb stand for?
kfb stands for knit into front and back.
Does kfb change the number of stitches?
It adds 1 stitch.