Skills » Left Leaning Decrease (SSK)

Left Leaning Decrease (SSK)

The left-leaning decrease, known as “slip slip knit” or SSK, is a fundamental knitting technique used to decrease stitches while creating a leftward slant in your knitting project. It’s commonly used in shaping, such as for neckline or sleeve decreases. To perform SSK, follow these steps: knit to your desired decrease point, knit 2 stitches, slip the next 2 stitches knitwise, insert the right needle through the front of the slipped stitches, wrap the yarn around the needle, pull the new stitch through, and release. This elegant technique helps maintain the symmetry and aesthetics of your knitting.

Video tutorial

The left leaning decrease, also known as 'slip, slip, knit', is an essential skill to learn for shaping your projects. Master the technique with our easy to follow step-by-step guide.

How-to guide

Step 1: Knit to the desired decrease point.
Step 2: Slip the next 2 stitches knitwise onto the right needle, one at a time.
Step 3: Insert the left needle through the front of the 2 slipped stitches.
Step 4: Wrap the yarn around the needle.
Step 5: Pull the new stitch through and release.
Step 6: Knit the remaining stitches as usual.

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FAQ

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A left-leaning knitting decrease is a technique that slants your stitches to the left side of your work, creating a diagonal line that angles to the left. It’s commonly used for shaping in knitting patterns.
A right-leaning decrease and left-leaning decrease are techniques used to shape your knitting. Right-leaning decreases slant stitches to the right, while left-leaning decreases slant stitches to the left, creating diagonal lines in opposite directions.
SSK, which stands for “slip slip knit,” is a left-leaning decrease. It slants stitches to the left.
The neatest way to decrease in knitting often depends on the specific project and the desired result. However, techniques like SSK (left-leaning) and K2tog (right-leaning) are commonly used and create tidy decreases.
Left-leaning decreases slant stitches to the left, while right-leaning decreases slant stitches to the right. Increases, on the other hand, add stitches to your work and are not directly related to the concept of left or right-leaning.
SSK and K2tog are both methods of decreasing stitches in knitting, but they differ in their slant. SSK creates a left-leaning decrease, while K2tog creates a right-leaning decrease.
The “best” left-leaning decrease depends on your project and preference. SSK is a commonly used and versatile technique for achieving a clean left-leaning decrease.
There are various types of decreases in knitting, including left-leaning (e.g., SSK), right-leaning (e.g., K2tog), centered (e.g., CDD – centered double decrease), and multiple other specialized decreases used for shaping and design in knitting projects. The choice of decrease depends on the pattern and desired effect.

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