If you see the word SSK Knitting, it simply stands for slip, slip, knit.
This is a basic way to decrease stitches. It makes a decrease that slants to the left and is often paired with knitting two stitches together, which is a right-slanting decrease. It’s an easy technique to learn for decreasing stitches. The basics of this stitch are also used in several other stitches as well. It is almost identical to a cast-off method known as binding off.
How To Do SSK Knitting (Slip, Slip, Knit)
To execute this decrease, slip the first stitch as if you have knitted it onto the right needle, slip the second stitch as if you have knitted it onto the right needle, then slide the left-hand needle into the front part of both stitches and knit them together.
You can also do this decrease by slipping the first stitch as if to knit and the second stitch as if you were going to purl. Then work them together through the front as with the standard decrease. This makes it look a little more like a knit 2 together decrease, so if you’re mirroring decreases on a garment you might want to try this method.
So, if you were knitting a row and wanted to do SSK knitting, do the following:
- Knit to the point in the row where the decrease has to take place;
- Now slip two stitches knitwise onto the right needle – this simply means transferring the stitches from the left to the right needle without knitting them.
- Slip the left needle through both of the slipped stitches on the right needle, so that the left needle is in front and the right needle at the back, as if you are going to knit;
- Pick the yarn out from behind the needle and pull it between the needles as if you are knitting;
- Pull the needle through as if you are knitting and slip the finished stitch off the left needle onto the right.
- Now you will see that your two stitches have become one.
Here is a great and quick watch video that explains how to do SSK knitting in detail.
When To Use SSK In Your Knitting
If you plan on knitting more than scarfs, baby blankets, and other rectangular projects you will need to learn how to increase and decrease the stitches in your knitting projects.
In order to balance your knitting out, the SSK knitting stitch is often paired with the knit two-together (k2tog) stitch, as the one leans to the left and the other to the right. In this way, your knitting will look balanced.
If you see the term SSP used, it is the same, only with a purl instead of a knit.
SSK knitting is just one of those basic knitting stitches that every knitter should know about.
