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Online source for knitting abbreviations

Knitting: Increasing / Decreasing

Most knitting patterns use these two preferred methods of decreasing. (Note their direction of slant).

K2tog (knit 2 together) and ssk (slip, slip, knit) are the decreases that are used most often. K2tog leans right / - ssk leans left \.

The direction that your increase/decrease stitches point is very important in creating a nice finished looking garment.

Should you slip a stitch knitwise, or purlwise?

You should slip a stitch knitwise when you want to twist the st, this is done in the ssk to give the proper slant to the decrease, sometimes done on an edge, and sometimes done for special effects. I like to slip knitwise when working the heel st (sl1, k1, across row. Purl back). This gives a nice thick, twisted "rib" to the heel which wears better than stockinette st - also slipping knitwise is faster - and who has a whole lifetime to spend making socks?? See my argyle sock for an example.

According to The Illustrated Dictionary of Knitting a stitch should always be slipped knitwise when it is part of a decrease (unless you are purling anyways and then it should be slipped purlwise). A stitch should always be slipped purlwise when it is to be worked on the next row (unless you are purling, then you slip knitwise).

You should slip a stitch purlwise when you want it to lay normal on the next pass - when you don't want it twisted. Another typical knitting rule seems to be: always slip purlwise unless the pattern indicates differently. I say, do what looks right and feels good.

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