Hope someone can help me with this. My pattern uses the abbreviation “stbl” and defines it as slip 1 stitch knit-wise, put sts back on left needle and knit 2 sts together through the back loop. Ok I get slip 1 stitch knit-wise and knit through the back loop but I don’t get put sts back on left needle. Why not just knit through the back loop of both stitches without slipping one knit wise since you put it back on the left needle? I’ so confused.
When you slip that stitch knitwise and place it back on the left needle, it will become twisted which wouldn’t happen if you just knit the two together. Hope this helps
I think you may be misreading it, that sounds like the directions for ssk - slip [B]2[/B] sts separately knitwise, put them back on the left needle and now knit tog tbl. You don’t really have to slip them back to the left needle; leave them on the right needle and stick the left needle into the [I]front[/I] of them and knit them tog. If you just knit 2 togtbl, they would be twisted instead of lying flat like they do when you slip them knitwise. Try out both and you’ll see the difference.
Thanks so much for the help. I’m new to knitting so this forum is wonderful. Maybe someday I’ll be able to help someone too.
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I seem to remember Amy having a decrease that sounds just like the instructions as given. twist one of the two stitches before k2 tog tbl… (back in a moment)
Ah, Amy calls it SSK “Improved” and it is a combination of the pattern directions and what Sue suggested. [U]Her instructions[/U] are, “…Slip one stitch as if to knit, slip the next stitch as if to purl, knit the two together through the back loops.” That link will take you to the decreases videos here on KH, then scroll to the second set of decrease videos on the right.
I was “studying” increases and decreases yesterday, I wouldn’t have known anything about it otherwise…
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Supposed slipping the second one purlwise will take up some of the looseness on the first sl st because it twists it which makes a tighter stitch. But it’s still noticeable as a twisted st. I’ve found the trick to not having the slipped st get stretched out is to keep them close to the needle tip, not way back on the straight part of the needle.
Thanks again for all the help. I’ll be trying all the variations to see which one I prefer. You guys are the greatest!