by Theresa Vinson Stenersen

Decreases Revisited

I talked a bit about decreases waaaaaaay back in the spring of 2003. Thankfully, I've learned a bit since then and would like to use this opportunity to be a bit more thorough. You deserve as much! (Disclosure: If you are a combination knitter, your results will not be the same as those I describe below because the stitches lie differently on the needles.)

A decrease in knitting transforms two or more stitches into one. Most decreases that make one stitch out of two slant either to the left or to the right. When you decrease from three stitches down to one, you can combine these slants and make a decrease that does not slant to the right or left, but is neutral and vertical. Why does this matter? Directional decreases help build a distinct pattern -- this is especially noticeable in lacework...

...where a combination of increases (usually yarn overs) and decreases make beautiful and interesting shapes.

Decreases are often combined to emphasize the shaping of a garment. For example, sock gussets in top-down socks are shaped by careful placement of directional decreases. The yoke of a raglan sweater combines a right-leaning decrease and a left-leaning decrease to create the raglan shoulder shaping.

Right leaning decrease
THE right-leaning decrease is the good old "knit two together", abbreviated as k2tog. 

K2tog is as simple as it sounds: simply knit two stitches at the same time, precisely the same way you would normally knit one. 

To line up a decrease so that it makes a tidy sloping line, you'll need to learn to identify the stitch that is the result of the previous decrease. Let's call that stitch Stitch X. For a right-leaning decrease, knit until you are one stitch BEFORE Stitch X and knit that stitch together with together Stitch X. 

The above illustration shows the following: 

Row 2: k2, k2tog
Row 4: k1, k2tog

Learning to "see" the stitches that should be worked together will liberate you from dependence on stitch markers and save you from having to constantly count stitches to know when it's time to decrease. 


Left-leaning decreases
For some reason, left-leaning decreases are rarely as neat and pretty as a k2tog. I think this may be because the stitches are drawn in the opposite direction from a normal knit stitch. I've tested the left-leaning decreases for you so you can see for yourself. Your results may vary from the examples shown below depending on how you knit and your stitch tension, so it's worth testing to see which works best for you. 

The knit two together through the back loop decrease, abbreviated as k2tog tbl:

The slip 1 stitch as if to knit, knit 1, pass the slipped stitch over the knitted stitch decrease - abbreviated as skp or s1 - k1 - psso:

Passing the slipped stitch over...

...does stress that stitch, making it looser and larger. You can see this as an enlarged stitch every other row along the decrease.

The slip 1 as if to knit, slip a second stitch as if to knit, insert the left hand needle into the front of the two slipped stitches and knit these two stitches together, abbreviated as ssk [invented by the legendary Barbara Walker]:

...is somewhat tidier.

Some advocate doing the ssk decrease, but with an improvement: slip 1 the first stitch as if to knit, then slip the second stitch as if to purl - then proceed as above: 

To line up a left-slanting decrease, knit until you reach Stitch X and work Stitch X together with the stitch AFTER it, using one of the decreases described above. 

Double decreases
Double decreases transform three stitches into one. In addition to k3tog (knit three together) and sssk (slip 3 stitches - 1 at a time - then knit) you might try the following:

Slip 1 as if to knit, knit 2 together, pass the slipped stitch over (sl1 - k2tog - psso):

This decrease is quite decorative and distinctive. 

Another distinctive double decrease is the slip 2 stitches as if to knit at the same time, k1, pass the two slipped stitches over the knitted stitch together. (sl 2 - k1 - psso):

This double decrease leaves a raised, vertical knit stitch on the front side that seems to pop off the surface of the knitting. 


A more subtle double decrease is worked by working a ssk, slipping the new stitch back to the left hand needle, passing the NEXT stitch to the left over the slipped stitch, then returning the new stitch back to right hand needle. (I have no idea how this is abbreviated).

To line up a double decrease, just make sure the center stitch of the decrease that you're about to make is the center stitch of the decreases you worked on the previous rows.

Theresa is an American who has lived, worked and knitted in Norway for a little over a decade. She has been taking a lot of pictures recently since repetitive motion injuries have been keeping the knitting at a minimum.

She would like to say a special thank you to Laura L. Prescott for invaluable feedback this issue!