Matching Your K2Tog & SSK Decreases

Updated February 2018. See below.

No more wonky left leaning decreases

We introduced the Showy & Subtle Decreases with a few simple projects. The Parallelity Scarf and Harvest Shawl are great introductions to these decreases, but now it’s time to see what else we can do with them.

The Showy Decreases in this Raised Diamond pattern rise up off the smooth face of the stockinette fabric. The ability to design on stockinette is one of the primary benefits of the Showy Decrease but let’s not downplay the added benefit that the right and left decreases actually match.

We haven’t had a chance to talk much about the left leaning ssk decrease yet. It’s kind of the bane of our knitting existence because it just doesn’t match its right-leaning k2tog mate. Where one is smooth the other is chunky and uneven. The Showy Decrease eliminates this problem by creating the perfectly matched pair. But wait there’s more … the decreases are joined with a double decrease that links them in a pretty, decorative point.

Let’s compare this ssk decrease to the k2tog Showy Decrease we introduced in this blog post. As you can see it’s the mirror image. The slip stitch is on the right where the needle enters first and the yarn over sitting to the right of the decrease helps it lean in its intended direction (left). Try the before and after swatch below to see how it works.

It’s actually easier to knit a Showy Decrease pattern. The ability to see the next decrease when knitting on the right side (you’ll see, it’s really noticeable) means you don’t need to count how many stitches until the next decrease. Same thing on the wrong side – you’ll spot the 2 strands of the k2tog and know just where to slip. You’ll be amazed how much simpler this makes your knitting so don’t be afraid that it’s too complicated – it’s the opposite.

One more small change. See the two versions of the double decrease in the legend? We’ve added slipping knitwise in the same manner that the skp (slip knit pass) is worked. To be honest, I have always worked this decrease this way. In this case it continues the smooth line of the decreases below it. Try the old way on the lower before section and add our nuance to the top.

Manchester Scarf

Free Manchester Scarf Pattern! I like the swatch so much I knit a scarf the next day. The Manchester Scarf is now available in Ravelry. The secret I couldn’t tell you about at the time was this scarf was designed with many of the same skills in our Fiftyfifty top that was announced in Knitty the next day. If you’d like to knit the Fiftyfifty Shell this would be a great warm up.

Update: Check out this new blog post, “Knitting Nuance Home Schooling” with

a Showy Decrease swatch tutorial available as a free PDF download.
a new You Tube video tutorial demonstrating the right and left Showy Decrease and the Hatch Edge.

Some Links for Your Convenience: