Have you noticed that k2tog looks neater than ssk? Try this little trick to see if it neatens up your ssk stitches a bit.
The traditional ssk: slip as if to knit, slip as if to knit. Place your left needle into the front of the slipped sts and knit them together.
Try this instead: slip as if to knit, slip as if to PURL. Place your left needle into the front of the slipped sts and knit them together.
Depending on how you knit, this may neaten up your decrease stitches — give it a try!
I can’t wait to try this ssk method, because I always felt that it didn’t look neat using the original method. So THANKS!!!! Joan
Thanks for the tip–will definitely try it. Happy Holidays!
I’m finishing the gusset on a sock right now – wish I had read this before. I’ll try it for the last 2 decreases though!
thanks Julie!
I CAN’T WAIT TO USE THIS METHOD.I KNIT CONTINENTAL
Good idea Julie, works well and I am in the middle of a Hat. Thanks again, and Happy Holidays. To all the Family
Thanks for the tip, I’ll try it.
This problem has always annoyed me and I’ve tried to solve it, maybe your trick has the solution, many thanks!
Can’t wait to try this one !!!!
I’m definitely trying this! Looks SO much better!
Thanks!!
I will try your method thanks a lot.
Oh cool! Thanks for the tip. I can’t wait to give this a try!
I think I first read this in a Eugene Bueller pattern. I have used it ever since.
I’ve tried ‘em all and none look at good as K2tog–but as you said, it may depend on how you knit. I’ve ended up staying with the old-fashioned Sl 1,K1, psso which looks the best in my view. I knit kinda tightly and do both methods (throw and pick) equally well as well as combination (p backwards and then k into back of st on knit side). I use whichever suits the project and the pattern stitches–sometimes combination is too fussy, but it sure makes stockinette look tidier for me because the purl sts only use the same amount of yarn as the knits.
As to the history of this, it goes way back–about 20 years, anyway. EZ (which I think she credited to Barbara Walker) made the slip both as to knit popular, but soon after, others came up with the sl one to k and sl one to p version–sorry I can’t remember where I first saw it.
Thanks. Will definitely try this on my next ssk
I will definitely try this method. Looks very uniform!! I had also heard that you could do a SSK by knitting into the back of the next two stitches.
If you k2tog behind that twists the sts. When you try it you’ll see it does not create a mirror of k2tog. The other way to ssk is to sl 1, k1, psso. For some people this is the way to make it neatest, all depends on your knitting!