Slip Slip Knit (ssk)
A slip slip knit (or ssk) is a very common single decrease characterized by its left-leaning slant. Ssk’s are often used in cahoots with the right-leaning knit 2 together (k2tog), shaping everything from toes of socks to necklines of sweaters.
To work an ssk, you slip one stitch knitwise with the yarn in back (wyib) from the left needle to the right needle, then you slip one stitch purlwise wyib. Next, insert the tip of the left needle knitwise into the two slipped stitches on the right needles. Notice how the stitches and needles look a lot like you’re about to knit two together. That’s exactly what you should do! Wrap the working yarn counter clockwise around the right needle and pull the yarn through both stitches and allow them to fall off the needle. That’s it… A left-leaning new stitch on the right needle and one less stitch overall!
These are great! Thanks for making videos. I have one question. Every tutorial I've ever seen for ssk teaches to slip both stitches knitwise. What is your reasoning behind slipping the second one purlwise? Does it change the shape or look of the stitch? Thanks!
Thanks so much for the reply about the difference between the two methods of SSK. I was shown the “new” method, already kniew the “old” method, and had been wondering about the whys of the situation! Thanks again.
Hi Jess,
Great question!
Like so many things in knitting, there are several ways to accomplish the same (or similar) thing. I like the looks of slipping one knitwise and then slipping one purlwise. Slipping both knitwise makes the decrease a bit tighter because you are twisting that second stitch as well as the first. This makes a more pronounced ridge of decreases.
Again, there are so many different ways to do each technique. I know even within our team of Purl Bee knitters we run the gamut; each with our own preferences. In time, hopefully we'll be able to expand on these different methods.
Thanks for asking!
Laura
These are great! I've been knitting for many years but never knew that you could do a SSK decrease in the manner that you show (which results in a less pronounced decrease).
I'd love to see some video tutorials on weaving in your ends and/or joining yarn, and also ways to finish or sew knitted pieces together. For me, that's been one of the biggest stumbling blocks to knitting sweaters. It would be awful to spend all that time knitting the pieces and then have the overall product look crummy because you didn't know how to put it together nicely.
As an aside, your shop is so cute — it's a bummer that someone graffiti-ed the wall in your video. But I guess it gives you kind of an "urban grittiness!" 🙂
Great tip making one slip knitwise and the other purlwise. Your tutorials are fantastic!
I keep on going back go your tutorials, they are so straight forward. I am going to buy a steno pad and make notes. thank you so much. jo
Vivendo e aprendendo, mais uma maneira de fazer SSK.
Muito obrigada, pelo vídeo.
Hello, Sonia!
Thank you for your kind words!
Best,
Kumeko
Is this the ssk you would use for toe shaping?
Hi Laura,
Thanks for writing us! Yes, you will use SSK along with K2tog in a toe shaping. I love this decrease!
Best,
Adam
I even being over the hill loved your clarity in the SSK video.
The original directions for this had you knitting through the back loop not the front. It is all you young techies making improvements.
Grand Wendy in NH
Please add some still (i.e. not video) diagrams so I can cut and past into knitting instructions.
Many thanks.
Hello Merrill,
Thanks for writing in! Unfortunately we don’t have the resources to update this post at the moment but we will keep your request in mind for future posts. Thanks again!
-Adam
Hello! Thanks for all the patterns and tutorials. I knit left-handed, and no matter what configuration I try, I can’t seem to get this ssk to work for me. I think it’s because the right-hand stitch must end up on top, meaning it must be slipped FIRST, and coming from the left, there’s no way to do that without dropping the left-hand stitch first.
What I’ve been doing is slipping the SECOND (right-hand) stitch first, knitwise. I drop the first (left-hand stitch) and pick it up purlwise on my offhand needle, then k2tog through the back loop.
Does this actually make the same stitch as your right-handed ssk? And have you ever thought about making some tutorials for left-handed knitters?
Hi there,
Thanks for writing in! SSK should work whether you are right or left handed. The only thing that would be impeding you from doing it is if you knit mirror. This is when your working yarn is coming from the left needle instead of the right needle and you are adding a new stitch to your left-hand needle. If you don’t knit mirror, SSK just might be something you have to practice a little more. Something that helped me when I was learning was replacing my “twisted stitches” back on the left-hand needle and then knitting those through the back loop. It definitely helps! Let me know if you are still having trouble.
Best of luck,
Adam
I’m a lefthanded knitter as well. A great source for translating knitting patterns or instructions for Southpaws is http://www.YarnCraftforLefties.com. I knit from charts left to right (mirror) and if a pattern calls for ssk, I make a k2tog. It keeps the correct stitch slant. Good luck & Happy knitting.
I am a beginner at knitting. I am learning to knit the continental method. Is there a different technique for ssk since I hold my yarn in my left hand.
Hi Janis,
Thanks for writing in! The method is no different if you knit English of Continental. I, myself, knit continental and the only difference is the hand you hold your working yarn in!
Best,
Cassy
Is this not the same as knit 2 tog through the back loops? I think that would be so much faster? (if doing ssk w/ the standard slip stitch knitwise). Does it look the same to do knit 2 tog through the back loop?
THANK YOU!
oooooops! I just realized I have been slipping all my stitches purlwise and not knitwise and thats why it is the same as k2togtbl!! Sheesh. Oh well. It still looks good.
Hi Annette,
Thanks for reaching out! SSK and K2tog are both leaning decreases that lean in opposite directions! SSKs lean left and k2togs lean right. When you k2tog tbl, this twists the decrease to lean left as well, looking quite like a SSK with both stitches slipped knitwise. Our variation here, slipping on stitch knitwise and one purlwise, we think makes a bit of a tidier SSK that nests the two stitches a bit more tightly. This is really a preference!
Best,
Cassy
Thank you! SO helpful. I appreciate your response.
Thank you so much! This is by far the best example I was able to find for ssk and I agree that doing knit then purl for the slips makes it a bit looser. Thank you so much for posting this!
This was a perfect explanation, and I appreciate it. Thank you for taking your time to help us out.
How do you perform [ssk, purl to last 2 sts before marker, k2tog] if there are only three stitches remaining?
Hello Stacy,
Thank you for reaching out! The sequence “[ssk, purl to last 2 sts before marker, k2tog]” would require 4 stitches at the very least. Which pattern are you working on? I hope I can help!
-Marilla
Hello! I haven’t done an SSK before and looked up a few videos like I always do when learning a new stitch. All the other videos say to slip both the stitches knitwise, so I was surprised that Purlsoho’s says to slip the first stitch knitwise and the next one purlwise. Could you explain why it’s being done this way and not slipping both knitwise, please?
Thanks in advance!
Madhu
Hi Madhu,
Thanks for writing in! It took some testing to land on working our ssk’s that way. We found that slipping one stitch knitwise and the second purlwise managed tension the best, and also best mirrored k2tog (for all thsoe patterns with mirrored shaping). That being said, like other things in knitting, there are different ways of doing an ssk, and in this case, both ways of working the stitch are correct. Hope this helps clarify things!
All the best,
Lili
Awesome, that definitely helps clarify things! Thank you Lili!
Warm regards,
Madhu
Hi, I just started making your ‘very pretty lacy scarf’ and am confused by the directions for Rnd 4- -by starting this round with ssk, I am decreasing a stitch every 4th row which is not in keeping with maintaining the 75 stitches in the pattern. Welcome your guidance as I am eager to get going on this scarf but am holding off until I can get further clarity on the directions. Thank you, Barbara
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for reaching out! Since that scarf is a lace pattern, the yarn overs (yo) increase a stitch while the k2tog (knit 2 together) and the ssk decrease a stitch. The combination of the two in each row keeps it so you maintain the 75 stitches the entire time! So even though you ssk at the beginning of row 4, you immediately follow it with a yo, which balances it out. If you ever find that you have less than 75 stitches, it means that you have missed a yo at some point.
I hope this helps clear things up!
Gianna
I have to agree with everyone here on the helpful tutorials here: the clarity is perfect! But I did have questions similar to those asking about ssk using slipping knitwise for both vs knitwise then purlwise…do you have a side-by-side sample so we can see the difference in a piece of knitting? My crown-shaping is—well—it gets the job done, but if I can improve my tensioning or just the overall smooth look, I’m all for it. Thanks again for all your tutorials—they are great and have been a lifeline throughout the pandemic!
Hi Kate,
Thanks for reaching out, and I’m glad our tutorial was helpful! I’m afraid that we don’t have a sample of our own that uses both methods. But I’d recommend using some scrap yarn and trying this out yourself! We’d love to hear your thoughts on which method you prefer.
All the best,
Lili