Day: July 24, 2021

For the slip, slip knit decrease (ssk), you will first slip two stitches as if to knit. Insert left needle from left to right into the fronts of the two slipped stitches. Then, pull the working yarn through both stitches with the right-hand needle to knit them together.

The Slip, Slip, Knit creates a leftward-leaning decrease.

Below you will find both video and written guides to help you learn how to make slip, slip, knit decreases.

Video Guide: How to Make Slip, Slip, Knit (ssk) Decreases

Written Guides: How to Make Slip, Slip, Knit (ssk) Decreases

ssk, Step 1:

Slip two stitches knitwise with the yarn in back (sl2kwyib). To slip a stitch knitwise, hold the working yarn behind your stitches. Insert your needle into the live stitch as if to knit it (insert your right needle into the front leg of the stitch from the front to the back).

ssk, Step 2:

Do not work into a stitch that is being slipped. Instead, slide the stitch off the left needle and onto the right needle. Remember to slip two live stitches before moving on.

ssk, Step 3:

Insert your left-hand needle tip, from left to right, into the front legs of the two stitches you have just slipped onto your right-hand needle.

ssk, Step 4:

Bring the right-hand needle tip over the working yarn and begin to form a counterclockwise loop around it.

ssk, Step 5:

Pull the loop on your right-hand needle tip through the stitches on your left needle.

ssk, Step 6:

Slide the stitches you have just worked into off your left needle, allowing the new stitch to remain on your right needle. Because you have joined two stitches together, you will now have one less live stitch on your knitting needles.

Return to the Knitting Decreases Page to learn more decreases.

Practice With My Knitting Patterns

Ready to try it?

My Simple Knit Beanie hats are rounded at the top with decreases.

Up Next

After you learn to slip, slip, knit, you can learn to knit two together. Find the tutorial here.

Go Back to the Learn to Knit Index

To knit two together (k2tog), you will work into the front leg of two live stitches at the same time. Knitting the two stitches together will anchor them to your new live stitch.

The Knit Two Together creates a rightward-leaning decrease.

Below you will find both video and written guides to help you learn how to make Knit Two Together decreases (k2tog).

Video Guide: How Make Knit Two Together (k2tog) Decreases

Written Guides: How to Make Knit Two Together (k2tog) Decreases

k2tog, Step 1:

Insert the tip of your right-hand needle into the front legs of the first two live stitches on your left-hand needle from front to back.

k2tog, Step 2:

Bring the right needle tip over the working yarn and begin to form a counterclockwise loop around it.

k2tog, Step 3:

Pull the loop on your right needle tip through the stitches on your left needle.

k2tog, Step 4:

Slide the stitches you have just worked into off your left needle, allowing the new stitch to remain on your right needle. Because you have joined two stitches together, you will now have one less live stitch on your knitting needles.

Return to the Knitting Decreases Page to learn more decreases.

Practice With My Knitting Patterns

Ready to try it?

My Simple Knit Beanie hats are rounded at the top with decreases.

My Slouch Hat pattern calls for decreases, as well.

Up Next

Now that you can decrease, you can make a hat. If you want to work on shorter circular needles, you’ll need to know how to switch knitting methods so you can finish decreasing at the top. The next lesson will show you how to switch from circular needles to double point needles while knitting in the round.

Go Back to the Learn to Knit Index

To help shape your knitwear, you will need to know how to decrease. In knitting, decreases are a way of reducing the number of live stitches on your knitting needles. By shrinking the number of live stitches on your needles, you will be able to shrink the length of each row. When working in the round, you can use this row-shortening tactic to close the tops of your knit tubes. Adding decreases in strategic places can also create interesting patterns as you turn your tube of knitting into a fitted piece of clothing.

Two important, simple decreases are “knit two together” (k2tog) and “slip, slip, knit” (ssk). Both decreases allow you to connect two stitches while creating one new live stitch your needles. This prevents your stitches from running, while still reducing the number of stiches in your row/round.

When you knit two stitches together in evenly spaced intervals, you can create a gentle swirl effect when closing the tops of hats.

Using both the k2tog and ssk in a pattern allows you to draw two sides of your work towards each other. Strategically placing these decreases at the tips of gloves, for example, pulls the edges closer together, forming rounded fingertips.

Both the knit two together and slip, slip, knit are slanted decreases; they will lean in one direction or the other. The knit two together (k2tog) decrease will a lean rightward. The slip, slip, knit decrease will lean leftward.

Below you will find both video and written guides to help you learn how to knit decreases.

Video Guide: How to Knit Decreases

Written Guides: How to Knit Decreases

Slip, Slip, Knit Decrease (ssk):

Click here to be directed to the step-by-step written guide to the slip, slip, knit decrease (ssk).

Knit Two Together Decrease (k2tog):

Click here to be directed to the step-by-step written guide to the knit two together decrease (k2tog).

Practice With My Knitting Patterns

Ready to try it?

My Simple Knit Beanie hats are rounded at the top with k2tog decreases.

My Slouch Hat pattern calls for k2tog decreases, as well.

In my pattern for Basic Knit Mittens you will use both ssk and k2tog decreases to make the mitten tops. The thumb-less newborn mitten size was shown in this tutorial.

Up Next

Now that you can decrease, you can make a hat. If you want to work on shorter circular needles, you’ll need to know how to switch knitting methods so you can finish decreasing at the top. The next lesson will show you how to switch from circular needles to double point needles while knitting in the round.

Go Back to the Learn to Knit Index