How to knit a lace stitch: decreasing techniques

If you are looking to learn how to knit a lace stitch: decreasing techniques are very important. Increasing and decreasing stitches are the basis of lace stitches, or are used to shape a piece of knitting. Decreasing is a method of reducing the number of stitches (usually one or two at a time) to narrow a piece of knitting.

As with the increase, a variety of methods can e used, depending on the purpose they will serve. For example, decreases can slant to the left or to the right, or be vertical. When shaping an armhole, you might want to knit a left-slanting decrease on the right-hand side of the garment and a right-slanting decrease on the left-hand side of the garment. If placed one or two stitches in from the edge, the decreases become a decorative detail. This type of visible shaping is called full-fashioned shaping. Placing the decreases away from the edge also makes it easier to seam the pieces together.

Of course, the decreases do not have to be visible. A simple decrease (such as knitting two stitches together) can be placed at the edge of the knitting so that it will be invisible once the pieces are sewn together.

Most decreases are worked on the right side of the knitting, but sometimes it’s necessary to decrease stitches on the wrong side, as when the decreases are worked every row. For this reason, we have also shown decreases that can be worked on the purl side of the work.

So don’t give up if it doesn’t look good the first time, or the second, we all have been there! Just take that needles and practice every day if you can and you’ll become so good that even you won’t believe it! You can do it and you can be good at it!

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1. Knit 2 stitches together (k2 tog):

Knitting 2 stitches together decrease is the easiest technique and one that every beginner must learn. This basic decrease slants to the right on the knit side of the work.

1. Insert the right needle into the next 2 stitches on the left needle together as shown in the first image in the photo below;

2. Wrap the yarn over the right needle and knit both stitches together as shown in the second image in the photo below;

3. In the 3rd image you can see how the k2 tog looks;

4. Continue to knit on the next stitches as the pattern indicates.

 

2. Purl 2 stitches together (p2 tog):

Purl 2 together along with knitting 2 together is the easiest technique and one that every beginner must learn. This basic decrease slants to the right on the knit side of the work.

1. On the purl side, insert the right needle into the front loops (purlwise) into the next 2 stitches on the left needle as shown in the first image in the photo below;

2. Wrap the yarn over the right needle (as when purling) and bring the yarn through both stitches as shown in the second image in the photo below;

3. In the 3rd image you can see how the p2 tog looks;

4. Continue to purl the next stitches as the pattern indicates.

 

3. SKP or SSK:

This decrease slants the stitches to the left on the knit side of the work:

1. Insert the right needle into the next st on the left needle as if to knit, and slip the stitch to the right needle as shown in the first image in the photo below;

2. Knit the next stitch on the left needle as shown in the second image in the photo below;

3. With the tip of the left needle, lift the slipped stitch over the knitted stitch  as shown in the 3rd image in the photo below;

4. In the 4th image you can see how the SKP decreasing looks;

This method gives the exact result as ssk decreases.

5. Continue to purl the next stitches as the pattern indicates.

The easiest version of this decreasing (ssk):

1. Slip 2 stitches knitwise, one at a time, from the left needle to the right needle;

2. Insert the tip of the left needle into the fronts of the slipped stitches and knit them together.

 

4. SSP:

This decrease worked on the purl side slanting the stitches to the left on the knit side.

1. Change the positions of the next stitch on the left needle so that the first stitch crosses to the left over the second stitch as shown in the first image in the photo below;

2. Insert the right needle into both stitches together from right to left as shown in the second image in the photo below;

3. Wrap the yarn over the right needle and bring the two stitches together as shown in the 3rd image in the photo below;

4. Continue to work on the next stitches as the pattern indicates.

 

5. Centered double decrease (CDD):

This method decreases two stitches and creates a vertical stitch.

1. Insert the right needle into the next 2 stitches on the left needle together as if to knit and slip both stitches on the right needle as shown in the first and the second image in the photo below;

2. Wrap the yarn over the right needle and knit the next stitch as shown in the 3rd image in the photo below;

3. With the tip of the left needle pass the 2 slip stitches over together and off the right needle. The two slipped stitches can be passed over the knitted stitch together in one motion, or one at a time. The finished stitch will be centered over the two decreased stitches.

4. In the 4th image you can see how the centered double decreasing looks;

5. Continue to work on the next stitches as the pattern indicates.

 

6. Left double decrease (sk2p)/ (sl1k2togpsso):

This method decreases two stitches and slants to the left on the knit side.

1. With yarn held in the back, slip one stitch knitwise, as shown in the first image in the photo below;

2. Insert the right needle into the next two stitches and knit two together as shown in the second image in the photo below;

3. With the tip of the left needle pass over the slip stitch, as shown in the 3rd image in the photo below;

4. In the 4th image you can see how the centered double decreasing looks;

5. Continue to work on the next stitches as the pattern indicates.

 

7. Knit 3 stitches together (k3 tog) or right double decreasing:

This method decreases two stitches and slants to the right on the knit side.

1. With yarn held in the back, insert the right needle into the next 3 stitches on the left needle together as if to knit, as shown in the first image in the photo below;

2. Wrap the yarn over the right needle and knit together the 3 stitches as shown in the second image in the photo below;

3. In the 3rd image you can see how the centered double decreasing looks;

4. Continue to work on the next stitches as the pattern indicates.

 

8. Left-leaning purl 3 together (sssp):

This method worked on the purl side and decreased 2 stitches and slants to the left on the knit side.

1. With yarn held in the front, slip one stitch from the left needle to the right needle knitwise as shown in the first image in the photo below;

2. Slip two more stitches in a previous manner and insert the left needle into the three stitches and move them back to the left needle as shown in the second and 3rd images in the photo below;

3. Insert the right needle into the three stitches as indicated and purl 3 together, as shown in the 4th image in the photo below;

4. Continue to work on the next stitches as the pattern indicates.

 

9. Purl 3 stitches together (p3 tog):

This method worked on the purl side and decreases 2 stitches and slants to the left on the knit side.

1. With yarn held in the front, insert the right needle into the first three stitches from the left needle as shown in the first image in the photo below;

2. Wrap the yarn over the right needle and purl together the 3 stitches as shown in the second and the 3rd image in the photo below;

3. Continue to work on the next stitches as the pattern indicates.

 

10. Knit 4 stitches together (k4 tog):

This method decreases 3 stitches and slants to the right on the knit side.

1. With yarn held in the back, insert the right needle into the next four stitches on the left needle as shown in the first and the second image in the photo below;

2. Wrap the yarn over the right needle and knit together the 4 stitches as shown in the 3rd image in the photo below;

3. In the 4th image you can see how the k4 tog decreasing looks;

4. Continue to work on the next stitches as the pattern indicates.

 

11. Sl 3 k1 psso (left-leaning 3 stitches knitted decrease:

This method decreases 3 stitches and slants to the left on the knit side.

1. With yarn held in the back, one by one slip three stitches on the right needle as shown in the first image in the photo below;

2. Insert the right needle into the fourth stitch and k1 as the arrow shows in the second and 3rd images in the photo below;

3. Pass the four stitches, one by one over the worked stitch as shown in the 4th and 5th images in the photo below;

4. In image no 6 you can see how the sl 3 k1 psso decreasing looks;

5. Continue to work on the next stitches as the pattern indicates.

 

12. Twisted ssk decrease:

1. With yarn held in the back, insert the right needle into the first stitch on the left needle through the back loop and slip 1 stitch to the right needle as shown in the first image in the photo below;

2. Knit the next stitch as shown in the second image in the photo below;

3. Pass the slipped stitch over the knitted stitch as shown in the 3rd image in the photo below;

4. In the 4th image you can see how twisted ssk decreasing looks;

5. Continue to work on the next stitches as the pattern indicates.

 

13. Twisted k2 tog decrease:

1. With yarn held in the back, slip two stitches from the left needle to the right needle. The second stitch should be slipped through the back loop as shown in the first image in the photo below;

2. Return the stitches to the left needle; as shown in the second image in the photo below;

3. Reinsert the right needle and k2 tog as shown in the 3rd image in the photo below;

4. In the 4th image you can see how twisted k2 tog decreasing looks;

5. Continue to work on the next stitches as the pattern indicates.

 

14. Twisted sssk decrease:

1. With yarn held in the back, insert the right needle into the first stitch on the left needle through the back loop and slip 1 stitch to the right needle as shown in the first image in the photo below;

2. Insert the right needle into the next two stitches on the left needle and k2 tog as shown in the second image in the photo below;

3. Insert the left needle into the slipped stitch as the arrow shows in the 3rd image in the photo below;

4. In the 4th image you can see how twisted sssk decreasing looks;

5. Continue to work on the next stitches as the pattern indicates.

Here are some lace stitches patterns to try:

1. Vine lace Zig-Zag stitch;

2. Horseshoe lace stitch;

3. Fern lace stitch;

4. Leaf patterned lace stitch;

5. Dainty chevron stitch;

6. Twin leaf lace stitch;

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