The choice of decrease stitch can have a significant impact on the overall look of a knitted piece. Stitches can be paired to give neat, matching edges which give shoulder or other shaping a professional finish.
As discussed in the article on increasing stitches, it is possible to place your stitch according to the overall desired effect. But the choice of stitch will also determine whether or not your finished item has defined lines of shaping, or more subtly executed stitches.
Common Knitting Decreases
Decreasing is simply reducing the number of stitches, usually by working one or more stitches together. Here are three of the common forms of decrease.
Knit Two Together (picture 1)
Usually abbreviated as “K2tog.”
To work the stitch, simply insert the right hand needle into the first two stitches on the left hand needle. Wrap the yarn around, pull back through and then let both stitches drop from the end of the left hand needle. This creates a defined “right leaning” increase and is therefore usually worked at the end of knit rows, to give a smooth ridge of shaping.
Slip, Slip, Knit (picture 2)
Usually abbreviated as “SSK.”
To work the stitch, insert your right hand needle into the next stitch, as if to knit it, but instead slip it onto the right hand needle. Repeat this once.
Insert your left hand needle into the two stitches just slipped, bringing the tip of the needle towards the front of the work. The right hand needle is still in the two stitches, but behind the left hand needle. Wrap the yarn around the right hand needle and bring back through both stitches. Slip the stitches off both needles.
This type of decrease is “left leaning” and creates a smooth ridge of stitches (when a decrease is made on every knit row) leaning up to the left. This is usually worked at the beginning of knit rows and is often paired with the K2tog decrease to give a neat, smooth shape.
Slip One, Knit One, Pass Slipped Stitch Over (picture 3)
This is sometimes abbreviated as “Sl1, K1, PSSO” or, more succinctly, “SKPO.”
To work the decrease, slip the next stitch from the left hand needle to the right. Knit the next stitch as normal. Insert the left hand needle tip into the front of the slipped stitch, and lift it over the knitted stitch and off the end of the right hand needle.
This is another left slanting decrease, which some knitters find easier to work than the SSK.
These are just three of the many possible decreases and through experimentation, the knitter can decide which technique best fits the item being made, giving the best possible design detail and finish.
Lesley Arnold-Hopkins - Lesley Arnold-Hopkins is a freelance writer whose work and hobbies have given her areas of expertise in a number of fields. She has an ...
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