Fiber Femmes - Knitting Fairy on Decreases

The Knitting Fairy on Decreases

Article by Alissa Barton

Decrease How To’s by the Knitting Fairy ™

Simply put, decreases are when you get rid of stitches in your knitting. . The easiest way is to knit two stitches together. But, this may not always produce the effect that you want. What to do when you want more out of your decreases? Read on!

Right leaning decrease:

Standard Knit two together (K2tog).

This is where you go through two stitches at once as if they were one and knit them together, decreasing your total number of stitches by one for each k2tog you make. This produces a decrease that leans to the right. My favorite place to use a k2tog is at the left edge of any opening (meaning the end of a knit row). If you use the k2tog at the beginning of

your knit row you are going to get stair steps instead of a nice diagonal line. (use a p2tog on the purl side).

Left leaning decreases:

My favorite place to use these is at the beginning of a knit row. There are several ways to achieve a left leaning decrease.

Knit two together through the back loops. ( K2tog tbl)

This creates a twisted diagonal line that leans to the left. It looks somewhat like a mini cable. This is NOT an exact mirror image of K2tog.

Insert the right needle tip to tip into the next two stitches on the left needle and out the back of the stitches. Knit the two stitches together.

Slip one, knit one, pass the slipped stitch over. (SKP).

This creates a left leaning decrease with a slight stair stepped look. Again, it is not a mirror image of K2tog.

Slip one stitch from the left needle to the right needle as if to knit. Knit the next stitch.

Use the tip of the left needle to pick up the slipped stitch and pass it over the knit stitch and off the needle.

Slip, Slip Knit. (SSK).

This creates a left leaning decrease that is an exact mirror to k2tog, leaving a smooth diagonal line. This is my default choice for a left leaning decrease.

Slip the next two stitches, one by one, as if to knit from the left needle to the right without actually working them. Reinsert the left needle, tip to tip with the right needle, into the stitches and out the front, wrap the yarn around the right needle and knit the two stitches together.

There are also ways to play with left leaning decreases on the purl side; many are more work than I am willing to go to so I simply purl 2 together through the back loops (P2tog tbl).

To purl 2 together tbl, take your right needle in between the 2nd and 3rd stitches on the left needle from the back side and through the two stitches to be worked together, wrap the yarn around the right needle and purl the two together. This is a bit fiddly and should be practiced first before using on your “real” knitting.

The K2tog’s are lined up above my left thumb and lean to the right. The SSK’s are above my right thumb and lean to the left.

"Thanks to The Spirit of Knitting for allowing Fiber Femmes to republish The Knitting Fairy's article on "Decrease How To's". The Spirit of Knitting is a quarterly newsletter offering patterns and articles to the knitting community. For more information, e-mail orders@open-hands.com.

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Alissa Barton has knitted and crocheted since she was a young child; she began teaching others almost immediately. Alissa started her business, Knitting Fairy, in 1996 in order to answer her students' requests for the ability to purchase her original patterns. Alissa continues to teach classes on all things knitting and crochet in the North Texas area to anyone who will sit still long enough to learn. In addition, Alissa is the design editor for Spirit of Knitting, a quarterly publication now in its 4th year.