SSK Knitting • Slip Slip Knit Decrease
SSK Knitting technique creates a single decrease of two stitches together into one when shaping your work. In just four easy steps, see how the SSK decrease technique allows you to lessen the number of stitches on your needle.
SSK is the knitting abbreviation for Slip, Slip, Knit.
How to do SSK in Knitting
Shaping your knitting work is easy with increase and decrease stitches. This technique is left-slanting for right-handed knitters.
Right-Handed
- With your right knitting needle tip, slip the first stitch off the left needle knitwise. With your working yarn in the back of your knit row, insert your right-hand needle the the left and inside the next stitch on the left-hand needle as if to knit. Slip it to the right-hand needle without knitting it.
- Then slip the next stitch off the left needle knitwise again.
- Insert your left needle tip into these two stitches, so it is resting atop the right needle.
- Knit them through to decrease two stitches into one.
Left-Handed SSK Knitting Technique
Conversely, left-handed knitters will decrease right-slanted stitches.
- With your left knitting needle tip, slip the first stitch off the right needle knitwise. With your working yarn in the back of your knit row, insert your left-hand needle the the right and inside the next stitch on the right-hand needle as if to knit. Slip it to the left-hand needle without knitting it.
- Then slip the next stitch off the right needle knitwise again.
- Insert your right needle tip into these two stitches, so it is resting atop the left needle.
- Knit them through to decrease two stitches into one.
Watch Video Tutorial
K2Tog Decrease = Knit Two Stitches Together
The K2Tog Knitting technique is often used in conjunction with SSK. K2Tog is right-slanting for right-handed knitters (and left-slanting for left-handed knitters). Many garments and projects use these two decreases to shape your knitted work.
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Printable Knitting Instructions
Printable Knitting Instructions
SSK Knitting technique creates a single decrease of two stitches together into one when shaping your work.
Materials
- Yarn - Any Gauge
Tools
- Knitting Needles - Appropriate Size for Yarn
Instructions
4 STEPS TO SSK FOR RIGHT-HANDED KNITTERS
- With your right knitting needle tip, slip the first stitch off the left needle knitwise. With your working yarn in the back of your knit row, insert your right-hand needle the the left and inside the next stitch on the left-hand needle as if to knit. Slip it to the right-hand needle without knitting it.
- Then slip the next stitch off the left needle knitwise again.
- Insert your left needle tip into these two stitches, so it is resting atop the right needle.
- Knit them through to decrease two stitches into one.
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4 STEPS TO SSK FOR LEFT-HANDED KNITTERS
- With your left knitting needle tip, slip the first stitch off the right needle knitwise. With your working yarn in the back of your knit row, insert your left-hand needle the the right and inside the next stitch on the right-hand needle as if to knit. Slip it to the left-hand needle without knitting it.
- Then slip the next stitch off the right needle knitwise again.
- Insert your right needle tip into these two stitches, so it is resting atop the left needle.
- Knit them through to decrease two stitches into one.
Kristen McDonnell
Author & Designer
After publishing her first knitting tutorial video, Kristen founded StudioKnit LLC. Enamored with teaching online, she films knitting lessons and designs from her vibrant production studio on Half Moon Bay’s California coast.
Kristen McDonnell is the author of the highly acclaimed book Knit Stitch: 50 Knit + Purl Patterns featuring vintage and unique designs.