Top 3 Decorative Decrease Techniques
How to use decorative decrease techniques in your knitting projects.
Increases and decreases can be made on the very edges of your work, and are often hidden when seamed. Making a feature out if these marks is called fully fashioning and is a way of highlighting the manufacture. These 3 techniques are among my favourite and can make a simple stocking stitch garment look extra special. I urge you to give them a try, all these techniques can be worked with more or less stitches in from the selvedge edge depending on how dramatic or subtle you want to be.
Abbreviations
St(s)= stitch(es)
K= knit
P= Purl
Inc = Increase , by KFB of next st
Dec = Decrease
KFB = Knit in front and back of same st
K2tog = Knit 2 sts tog to decrease by 1 st
P2tog = Purl 2 sts tog to decrease by 1 st
SSK = Slip, slip, knit; slip next 2 sts to RHN and place tip of LHN into these 2 sts and k2tog to Dec by 1st
P2togtbl= Purl 2 sts tog through back of loop to Dec by 1 st
RS = Right side
Tog = Together
RHN= Right hand needle
LHN = Left hand needle
DPN = Double pointed needle , or cable needle
Classic decreases
Typically most standard patterns will use this type of decrease. In this instance the decreases are worked on every row, 5 sts in from the selvedge edge, thus reducing 2 sts every row.
Row 1 RS: K5, SSK k to last 7sts, K2tog, k5
Row 2: P5, p2tog , p to last 7sts , p2togtbl, k5
Repeat rows 1-2 for required number of decreased sts.
Double decrease
This decrease allows you to decrease 4 sts per row, hence doubling the number of standard decreases. It’s also worked with a cable or DPN needle which acts as a temporary third needle allowing you to work pairs of non-adjacent stitches together.
In this swatch the decreases are made every 4th row , reducing by 4sts at a time.
Row 1 RS: Knit 4, slip 2 sts onto cable needle and hold parallel to and behind left needle. *Insert right needle into first st on left needle and at the same time into first st on cable needle, knit these 2 sts tog, rep* with 2nd st, k to last 8 sts , slip 2 sts onto cable needle and hold cable needle parallel to and in front of the left needle.
*Insert right needle into first st on cable needle and at same time into first st on left needle, knit these 2 sts tog; rep * for the 2nd st, Knit remaining 4 sts on left needle.
Rows 2- 4 Work in St st, starting with a P row
Repeat rows 1-4 for required number of decreases.
Bias double decrease
This decrease technique is similar to the double decrease but you also increase by 1st on the selvedge edge whilst decreasing 2 sts either end , thus only reducing the number of total sts by 2 per decrease row, instead of 4.. The increases cause a bias effect on the edge sts, making for a more decorative effect.
Row 1 RS: Inc 1 st into the first st, k3, slip 2 sts onto cable needle and hold parallel to and behind left needle. *Insert right needle into first st on left needle and at the same time into first st on cable needle, knit these 2 sts tog, rep* with 2nd st working 1 st from front needle tog with 1st on back needle, k to last 8sts , slip 2 sts onto cable needle and hold cable needle parallel to and in front of the left needle.
*Insert right needle into first st on cable needle and at same time into first st on left needle, knit these 2 sts tog; rep * for the 2nd st, Knit 3 sts, inc 1 into last st.
Row 2: P
Repeat rows 1-2 for the required number of decreases.
Once you've mastered these simple techniques you'll start to notice where you can add them to improve your knitting. Don't forget to share and tag your projects to #jostorieknits
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