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How to do a beautiful SSK

29/4/2014

26 Comments

 
December 2016: I'll leave this page here, but I just wanted to update this post to say that my preferred method for a left-leaning decrease is now the K2Tog-L, which I wrote about in the YarnSub newsletter. 

I love the way there's always something new to learn about knitting.  I'm not talking entrelac, steeking, double knitting, intricate lace and all the rest of that complicated stuff, I'm talking decreasing. 

Of course you know how to k2tog for a right leaning decrease, and you've outgrown skpo and moved onto SSK for a left-leaning decrease. You might know how to do their equivalents on a purl row. You might even know about the improved SSK (although it doesn't improve much for me I have to admit). 

But if you know about working through the back of the stitch in the row above an SSK and you haven't told me, then I may have to reassess our friendship.

I've been playing with 'contoured' or 'shaped' intarsia for nearly a year now, which involves increasing and decreasing either side of the colour change in intarsia in order to make a smooth 'contoured' line instead of the traditional intarsia pixellated line.  Because of this I have a geeky obsession with increases and decreases. I follow links on Pinterest, I watch video tutorials on YouTube and I can safely say I know an unhealthy number of ways to increase and decrease in my knitting. 

But I never knew that if you work into the back of the stitch in the row above an SSK then it does marvellous things.

Imagine you've worked an SSK on a knit row (I'll call it Row 1). Then when you purl back along Row 2, purl into the back of that SSK stitch from Row 1:

Picture

Below, on the  left of the picture I've worked a few rows of SSKs on the knit row and then just purled that stitch on the next row as usual.  On the right of the picture I've worked an SSK on the knit row and then purled into the back of that stitch on the next row:
Picture
How beautiful is that row of decreases on the right compared to those on the left?

I learnt about this little trick in a video from Cat Bordhi, where she explains the 'hungry stitch' technique. She uses a slipped stitch on the row below the SSK to remove excess yarn out of the SSK and neaten up the decrease even further. She mentions, almost in passing, to work into the back of the stitch on the row above.  The 'hungry stitch' is too complicated for me on my contoured intarsia patterns, which are already a little bit crazy. But that working into the back of the stitch thing - that is beautiful.

Wendy x
26 Comments
Laura 'Purl Princess' Parkinson link
4/5/2014 01:44:08 pm

I believe this is called the Peaterson technique.
Lovely clear photos here! Thank you!

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Wendy link
4/5/2014 02:03:37 pm

Ha! I do like to twist my needles in all directions and there's a Technique hidden in me somewhere, but this little one - unfortunately - isn't mine!

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Charlotte
18/12/2016 09:13:22 pm

Lovely. Thanks for the tip.

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Nancy link
13/2/2017 06:26:25 pm

I never thought of this. It is much more attractive. I shall try it!

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Karen Siegienski
28/4/2016 07:47:41 am

This is very helpful to me, and the pictures and instructions are so clear. Thank you!

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Anne Clark-Stewart
14/11/2016 03:48:47 pm

I found the link to your blog and this way of decreasing on Pinterest. THnak you so much for sharing with such clear instructions.

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Wendy link
16/11/2016 01:57:10 pm

Hi Anne, This technique does make a difference, but I've since improved on it further with the K2Tog-L, which I REALLY love! Link below:

http://yarnsub.com/articles/techniques/k2togl/

Thanks for your comment!

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Maureen furlong
18/11/2016 10:48:26 am

I have kept this in my notes,thank you

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Linda
26/11/2016 11:05:29 pm

This type of detail makes the difference between a nice garment and a very nice garment!!! Thank you so much!!

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Kay Reddy
6/12/2016 05:25:49 pm

I couldn't agree more!! Thank you fo sharing!!

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Kate Buckley
30/12/2016 07:36:51 pm

Thanks! The photo caught my attention with the improved version next to the "usual" method and results. Good tip. I wonder if there is a way to get the same results working the SSK round or row?

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Nancy Whitehead
30/12/2016 07:46:49 pm

I wonder if this new way would make a difference in knitting lacy stitches? Attempting a lace leaf - and I was disgusted with the messy look (which quite a few other people seemed to get also - pics on Ravelry). I'm going to try this. Thanks so much!

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sf
31/12/2016 06:16:38 am

Interesting, here's another option...

My method is a bit easier and looks great too:
-slip the first stitch as if to knit
-slip the second as if to purl through the back loop while stretching it a bit
-put the left needle tip into the front of the slipped stitches and knit them together

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Valerie
16/9/2017 03:52:42 pm

Can you explain the step 2 , it sounds complicated. Thank you.

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CS
6/1/2017 06:36:26 pm

Attention to detail and learning new techniques help me grow in making my knitting of a higher guality. Thank you.

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Mai Meisters
10/1/2017 11:41:35 am

How does it work in the round?

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Wendy link
25/1/2017 10:59:20 am

Hi Mai,

I've not tried it, but I don't use this method any longer - I find the K2Tog-L much neater and easier and doesn't require you to do anything to the stitch on the following row:

http://yarnsub.com/articles/techniques/k2togl/

Give it a try :-)


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Carol
6/12/2017 12:40:32 pm

Thank you for the great tip. The sloppy appearance of the SSK is so annoying. But this method solves the problem.

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Iris Faigin
22/1/2018 02:42:01 pm

I've been knitting for 50+ years and never saw this. Great tip. Thanks.

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Hohjo
27/3/2018 06:28:45 am

Brilliant, and yet so simple! Thank you for this great tip!

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Babs
8/5/2018 07:24:36 am

What a great tip. Thank you. Do you know if there is an other way to work an ssk stitch In round 2 when you are knitting in the round?

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Wendy
8/5/2018 10:00:13 am

Hello Babs.. I don't use this technique any longer - I'm much happier with the K2Tog-L, which I wrote about here: https://yarnsub.com/articles/techniques/k2togl/

It's all done in the one place. I edited to mention the new technique at the top of the page, but I think it gets a bit lost!

Let me know if you try the K2Tog-L.

Wendy

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E A Cole
17/10/2018 05:34:32 pm

The way I control the size of the between a knit and a purl is DO NOT move the yarn forward to work the purl. Just carry it over the top of the needle and purl. The resulting YO will be mounted the opposite of the normal orientation but you still just work it normally on the next row. The alternative of wrapping the yarn completely around the needle and then back to the front again just puts way too much yarn into the YO. Another fix is to totally skip the YO in the pattern row and then just lift the segment of yarn between the two stitches on the the left needle to form the YO on the following row. I call this the 'one row YO'--if you have very many to work and want to use this method you may want to insert a marker where each YO is to be added on the second row.

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Linda
2/11/2018 03:39:38 pm

Beautiful! Just beautiful! Thank you!

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Siobhan
12/7/2019 04:25:12 pm

This is brilliant! Thank you so much for sharing this!

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Kendra Dolan link
13/12/2020 06:18:51 am

Hi thanks for ssharing this

Reply



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