Are there things in knitting you always have to look up? After over a decade on the needles (I like how that makes it sound like my knitting is a dark, drug related problem) I have allotted brain space to most abbreviations and concepts.

The one exception is M1R and M1L. I almost always have to look them up. I never remember which one is which. A few months ago I learned a phrase to help me remember: I LEFT the FRONT door open, I’ll be RIGHT BACK. That phrase has helped me remember right and left increases for months.

The problem is, I just looked it up and Twist Collective is the only source I found that has you knit through the front of the loop for a left increase and the back of the loop for the right increase. Craftsy, Purl Soho, and Tin Can Knits all say it is the opposite. It turns out my handy phrase is wrong.

I’m trying to decide if knowing it is wrong is enough. I might be able to say the phrase and know I should do the opposite. I could also try to come up with a new phrase. Do you have any advice for remembering how to make one right and make one left?

For the non-knitting readers who have no idea what I’ve been saying for the past four paragraphs, here is a picture of my kids playing at Union Park. They are too small for this park, but the don’t believe it.