The Knitting Fiend

My first Zag sock uses a popular double decrease whose instructions are often written: “Sl1, k2tog, psso”.

This description sometimes confuses knitters because some popular knitting references describe “the rule” for slipping stitches as “always slip purl-wise unless stated otherwise”; others say the rule is “slip purl-wise unless stated otherwise or decreasing“. Since there are at least two “standard rules”, I like to write this as:

Sl1 knit-wise, k2tog, psso.

Editors who insist “all knitters” follow the second rule would consider my description redundant. They would insist suggest I edit for brevity. To that I say, “What a crock!”

I figure: what’s worse, redundancy or lack of clarity due to the numerous mismatching “conventions” imposed by thousands of different editors on 7 different continents? (Well, probably 6 continents; are there knitting any editors in Antarctica?)

Having scorned brevity, I should nevertheless get back to the main point. When do you pick this decrease instead of some other decrease? What’s this decrease look like and how do you work it?

When do I use this decrease? Well, I use this decrease when I want the two decreases slammed as close together as posible because it uses only three stitches. Some others use a minimum of four stitches. So, I like this decrease when knitting chevron socks! I rarely use this decrease for raglans knit in the round because I tend to prefer having a bold gap between the two decreases. I think that highlights the raglan line. In that case, I use paired “SSK, k2tog” type decreases, sometimes placeing stitches between the two decreases. (To emphasize shoulders, I have gone so far as to place cables between the two decreases, as on Jim’s cardigan.)

Mind you, there is another double decrease — slip 2 knitwise, knit 1, pass 2 over– I also like for socks; I’ll show that when I knit my second Zag socks. (It will look different, which means my Zags will be fraternal!)

So, what does this one look like? Kind of like a cross-hatch.

If you look carefully at the photo to the left, you’ll see the center stitch, marked in magenta, lies behind the left stitch, marked in aqua. Both lie behind the right hand stitch, which I marked white. The left stitch leans to the right, the right leans to the left forming a sort of cross hatch.

On my Zag socks, I work the decrease every other row, piling one decrease above the previous one. This eventually forms the upward facing points of the chevrons.

Now, how do you work this? I’ve illustrated the steps below. The photos are organized in “knitting” order. So, examine them from right to left.

To begin, you knit up to the three stitches involved in this operation. Now, slip the first stitch as to knit (aka, “knit-wise”.) This is illustrated in the photo above and to the right. Notice I’ve inserted the right hand needle tip into the stitch just as though I plan to knit it. Then, I slide it to the right hand needle.

Then, knit the two stitches on the left needle tips together knitwise. Do this by inserting the right needle tip knitwise into the second stitch from the left tip, then continue through to the stitch next to the left tip. See the photo in the center. Now, wrap the yarn and knit through both stitches. This decreases a stitch. If you examine the decrease, you’ll see the stitch to the left lies “over” the stitch to the right. So, it’s a right leaning decrease.

Now, work the “psso”. To do this, insert the left tip into the stitch you slipped on the right hand needle tip as shown. Now, lift it and drop it over the stitch you created when you k2tog.

Done! Yes, this decrease is easy to work. That’s one reason it’s popular. I’ll show you another type when I knit my second zag sock. Then, you’ll be able to pick the one you prefer when you knit your Zag sock (or any other project of your choice. )

I bet some of you are wondering, what would happen if I slipped that first stitch purlwise? Well, it would hardly be a catastrophe. You’d still have a double decrease which is what you need to achieve the correct shaping of a garment. However the decorative effect would be very slightly different. How? The top stitch– outlined in white above– would be twisted. In thick yarns, this would be visible; in thin yarns you’d probably have to squint to see the difference.

Is a twisted to stitch somehow “bad” or “wrong”? Not in my opinion! It’s just a different decorative effect. So, if you want it to be twisted, go ahead and slip purlwise. If you want it not to twist, slip knitwise. No skin off my nose either way!