What decreasing means and why you need it

A decrease in knitting is a technique that removes one or more stitches from your needle, making your fabric narrower. You use decreases to shape garments — to taper sleeves, create armholes, form the crown of a hat, or angle the sides of a sweater. Without decreases, every row would stay the same width.

Decreases work by combining two or more stitches into one. The most common decreases combine two stitches into one, which removes exactly one stitch from your row. Some decreases are invisible or nearly invisible; others create a visible slant or decorative line that becomes part of the garment's design.

Key Takeaways

  • The two most common decreases are knit two together (K2tog), which slants right, and slip, slip, knit (SSK), which slants left.
  • K2tog is faster and easier to learn; SSK takes more practice but creates a neater left-leaning line.
  • The direction a decrease slants matters when you want both sides of a garment to look balanced and intentional.
  • Paired decreases — one on each side of a centerline — are used in most shaping patterns to keep the fabric symmetric.
  • Purl decreases exist for when you are working on the wrong side or in reverse stockinette, and they follow the same logic as knit decreases.

Knit two together (K2tog) — the easiest decrease

K2tog is the simplest decrease and the one most beginners learn first. To work it, insert your right needle through two stitches on your left needle at the same time, as if you were going to knit them together, and knit them as one stitch. You now have one stitch on your right needle instead of two.

K2tog creates a right-leaning slant — the stitch leans toward the right side of your fabric. This makes it useful on the right edge of a garment or on the right side of a centered decrease line. The technique is fast and requires no extra steps, which is why many patterns use it even when a left-leaning decrease would be more balanced.

Slip, slip, knit (SSK) — the left-leaning decrease

SSK creates a left-leaning slant and is the mirror image of K2tog. To work it, slip two stitches one at a time from your left needle to your right needle, as if you were going to knit them. Then insert your left needle through the front of both slipped stitches and knit them together through the back loop.

SSK takes more steps than K2tog and feels awkward at first, but it becomes smooth with practice. The result is a neat, left-leaning line that balances a K2tog decrease on the opposite side. Many patterns pair K2tog on the right and SSK on the left to create symmetrical shaping.

Pairing decreases for balanced shaping

When you decrease on both sides of a garment — such as on both sides of a sleeve cap or both edges of a neckline — using the same decrease on both sides creates an unbalanced look. One side leans right, the other also leans right, and the fabric looks off-center.

To fix this, use K2tog on one side and SSK on the other. If you are decreasing near the edge, work K2tog a few stitches in from the left edge, and work SSK a few stitches in from the right edge. The decreases will slant toward the center, creating a V-shape or a neat, intentional line. This pairing is standard in most shaping patterns.

Purl decreases for wrong-side rows

When you are working on the wrong side of your fabric or in reverse stockinette stitch, you need purl decreases instead of knit decreases. The two most common are purl two together (P2tog) and slip, slip, purl (SSP).

P2tog works like K2tog: insert your needle through two stitches and purl them together. SSP is trickier — you slip two stitches knitwise one at a time, put them back on your left needle, then purl them together through the back loop. These create the same slant direction as their knit counterparts, so the same pairing logic applies.

Double decreases and centered decreases

A double decrease removes two stitches at once, leaving one stitch behind. The most common is slip one, knit two together, pass slipped stitch over (S1, K2tog, PSSO), often written as SK2P. You slip one stitch, knit the next two together, then pass the slipped stitch over the new stitch. This creates a centered decrease that slants both directions at once.

Double decreases are used in lace patterns, at the center of a hat crown, or anywhere you need a visible, decorative decrease line. They remove stitches faster than single decreases and create a distinctive look. The pattern instructions will tell you where to use them.

Where decreases go in a pattern

Knitting patterns write decreases in shorthand. K2tog means knit two together. SSK means slip, slip, knit. P2tog means purl two together. Some patterns also use DEC (decrease) or write out the full instruction. Always check the pattern's abbreviation key if you are unsure.

Patterns also tell you where to place decreases — usually a certain number of stitches in from the edge, or on specific rows. Following these instructions creates the intended shaping. If you decrease in the wrong place, your garment may not fit or may look unintentional.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between K2tog and SSK?

K2tog slants right and is faster to work. SSK slants left and takes more steps. They are mirror images of each other. Patterns pair them on opposite sides of a garment to create balanced, symmetrical shaping.

Do I have to use SSK, or can I use K2tog on both sides?

You can, but the result will look unbalanced — both decreases will slant the same direction, and the shaping will look off-center. Using SSK on one side and K2tog on the other is the standard approach and looks intentional.

What does pass slipped stitch over mean?

After you knit two stitches together, you have one new stitch on your right needle. Passing the slipped stitch over means lifting the stitch you slipped earlier and pulling it over the new stitch and off the needle. This removes it and creates a centered double decrease.

Can I decrease on every row?

Yes, if the pattern calls for it. Decreasing every row creates a steep slant, useful for sleeve caps or hat crowns. Decreasing every other row creates a gentler slope. The pattern instructions will specify the frequency.

What if I decrease in the wrong place by accident?

If you notice it in the same row, you can drop back and fix it. If you have already moved on, you can either frog (pull out rows) back to the mistake or leave it and accept the imperfection. Most garments are forgiving of small shaping mistakes.