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.

Demonstration of hands SSK knitting decrease technique with needles and yarn.

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

  1. 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.
  2. Then slip the next stitch off the left needle knitwise again.
  3. Insert your left needle tip into these two stitches, so it is resting atop the right needle.
  4. Knit them through to decrease two stitches into one.

Watch my video tutorial for right-handed knitters below >

Step-by-Step demonstration of the SSK Slip Slip Knit knitting technique with hands, knitting needles, and yarn.

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Left-Handed SSK Knitting Technique

Conversely, left-handed knitters will decrease right-slanted stitches.

  1. 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.
  2. Then slip the next stitch off the right needle knitwise again.
  3. Insert your right needle tip into these two stitches, so it is resting atop the left needle.
  4. Knit them through to decrease two stitches into one.

Watch my video tutorial for left-handed knitters on YouTube >


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.

Looking for more help? Find all of my Knitting Technique lessons here >

K2Tog and SSK knitted swatch demonstrating slants.

Printable Knitting Instructions

Demonstration of hands SSK knitting decrease technique with needles and yarn.

Printable Knitting Instructions

SSK Knitting technique creates a single decrease of two stitches together into one when shaping your work.

Makes: SSK Knitting Decrease
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Active Time: 10 minutes
Additional Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 14 minutes
Difficulty: Intermediate

Materials

  • Yarn - Any Gauge

Tools

  • Knitting Needles - Appropriate Size for Yarn

Instructions

4 STEPS TO SSK FOR RIGHT-HANDED KNITTERS

  1. 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.
  2. Then slip the next stitch off the left needle knitwise again.
  3. Insert your left needle tip into these two stitches, so it is resting atop the right needle.
  4. Knit them through to decrease two stitches into one.

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4 STEPS TO SSK FOR LEFT-HANDED KNITTERS

  1. 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.
  1. Then slip the next stitch off the right needle knitwise again.
  2. Insert your right needle tip into these two stitches, so it is resting atop the left needle.
  3. Knit them through to decrease two stitches into one.

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Thank You for Visiting Studio Knit

I hope you are inspired to decrease your stitches with confidence in your next knitting project!

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