➎ Knitting Decreases 👉 K2TOG, SSK, SKP, P2TOG, SSP

Mastering 5 Essential Knitting Techniques to Reduce the Number of Stitches in a Row or Round:

🌀 SSK - slip, slip, knit

🌀 SKP - slip 1, knit 1, pass the slipped stitch over

🌀 K2tog - knit two together

🌀 SSP - slip, slip, purl

🌀 P2tog - purl two together

SSK is an abbreviation for slip, slip, knit.

Language of knitting patterns

This decrease slants to the left. Its counterpart is K2TOP.

To work the SSK: 
Insert the tip of the right needle into next stitch on the left needle, from front to back, and slip the stitch onto the right needle. Repeat the same step with the second stitch. Put the tip of the left needle into the two slipped stitches on the right needle from left to right and keeping the left needle in front. Wrap the working yarn counter clockwise around the right needle. Pull the yarn through both stitches and allow them to fall off the left needle.

SKP is an abbreviation for slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over.

Language of knitting patterns

This decrease slants to the left. Its counterpart is K2tog.

To work the SKP.
Insert the tip of the right needle into next stitch on the left needle, from front to back, and slip the stitch onto the right needle. Knit the next stitch. Use your left needle to lift up the slipped stitch over the knit stitch and drop it off the right needle. This creates a single decrease that slants to the left.

K2TOG is an abbreviation for knit two stitches together.

Language of knitting patterns

K2tog is a commonly used technique for decreasing stitches. This decrease causes the stitches to slant to the right. Its counterpart is SSK or SKP.

To work the K2TOG:
Insert the tip of right needle into the first two stitches on the left needle at once from left to right. Wrap the working yarn counterclockwise around the inserted needle. Pull the yarn through both stitches. Drop both stitches off the left needle.

SSP is an abbreviation for Slip slip purl.

Language of knitting patterns

This decrease slants to the left. Its counterpart is P2TOG

To work the SSP:
With the working yarn in front, insert the tip of the right needle into next stitch from front to back, and slip the stitch onto the right needle. Repeat the same step with the second stitch. Slip these stitches back to the left hand purlwise. Insert the tip of the right needle into the two slipped stitches on the left needle from back to front. Wrap the working yarn counter clockwise around the right needle. Pull the yarn through both stitches and allow them to fall off the left needle.

P2TOG is an abbreviation for purl two together.

Language of knitting patterns

This decrease slants to the right. Its counterpart is SSP

How to work the P2TOG: 
With the working yarn in front, insert the right needle into the first two stitches on the left needle at once from left to right. Wrap the working yarn counter clockwise around the right needle. Using the tip of right needle, push this loop of yarn through both stitches at once, from the front of the work to the back. Drop these stitches off the left needle.

Note: When you are working a decrease stitch that involves slipping stitches, they are always (unless the instructions tell you otherwise) slipped knitwise.

Happy knitting!