How do you decrease in knitting? K2tog and SSK explained

How do you decrease in knitting? 

K2tog and SSK explained 

When you first learn to knit, you start off with simple straight lines, back and forth. You learn to knit and then to purl. You learn that combining knit and purl stitches can create ribbing. But eventually most of us get bored with various sized rectangular items. There are only so many scarfs, dishcloths, and blankets one can make. If you want to learn how to create sweaters or hats or socks, you will have to learn how to shape garments by increasing and decreasing the number of stitches.

A decrease is when you combine two or more stitches, thus reducing the total number of stitches you have. When shaping items, such as the top of a hat, you have to combine decreases to have the desired effect. In fact, there are many different types of decreases to further customize the look a pattern designer wants to achieve.

In this article, we will look at two basic decreases. If you are a seasoned knitter, there will be very familiar to you. If you are newer to this craft, or have not ventured far out of the world of rectangular objects, this is for you! These are the first steps you need to create more complex and wearable pieces.

K2tog - Knit 2 together

This decrease is as simple as it sounds - you are knitting two stitches on the left needle as if they were just one. Insert the right needle through two stitches on the left needle, instead of just one, and then knit them as if they are one normal stitch. This is a "right-leaning" decrease, meaning that it leans to the right. Thus, it is often put on the left side of a garment so that the decrease leans in towards the center of the garment. You can remember the direction by the way the line points in the "2." See the picture below for reference.




If you are purling, it is called P2tog, or Purl 2 together, but it essentially the same concept. You would insert the right needle into two stitches on the left needle as if to purl, and then purl them together as if they are one stitch.

SSK - Slip, Slip, Knit

This is another way to knit 2 stitches together so as to decrease the overall stitch count. You slip two stitches from the left needle to the right needle as if you are going to knit them (called "knitwise"). Then you insert your left needle into the front of the two stitches you just slipped, and knit them together. This is a "left-leaning" decrease, meaning that it leans to the left. Thus, it is often put on the right side of a garment so that the decrease leans in towards the center of the garment. You can remember the direction by the way the line points in the "S." See the picture above for reference.

Another way to do the SSK is to slip the first stitch as if you were going to knit that stitch (knitwise) and the second stitch as if you were going to purl it (called purlwise). This will create a less noticeable SSK.

If you would like to learn more, consider this book all about increases and decreases. That should tell you how many ways there are to do this.

Increase, Decrease: 99 Step-by-Step Methods; Find the Perfect Technique for Shaping Every Knitting Project


For even more information, check out my blog post on the best books to learn to knit.

My current favorite needles (that I love so much I bought TWO sets, in different colors of wood) is Knit Picks interchangeable needles. The fact that they are wood makes them a little "grippier" (yes, I made that word up, but you know exactly what it means!) than metal needles, which will make them easier to use when learning to knit or learning new stitches. They also are pointy enough to get into multiple stitches when decreasing, making learning these techniques easier.

I demonstrate all of these decrease techniques in the video below. Let me know if this makes you run to try a pattern with shaping!

@girlfriendsknitting Learn hiw to decrease yoir knitting stitches! Both K2tog and SSK. Join my newsletter at girlfriensknitting website to get weekly patterns and tutorials. See the link in the bio!#howtoknit #howtoknitforbeginners #knittersoftiktok #knittingtiktok #knittok #girlfriendsknitting #foryoupage #fyp #decreasestitch ♬ original sound - Girlfriends Knitting

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