K2tog vs SSK

#1

I cannot discern the difference between K2tog and SSK. I know that k2tog is supposed to slant to the right and SSK is supposed to slant to the left. For SSK, the instructions in the book say to slip the 2 stitches as if to knit but then to put them back on the left needle and knit them together. How does this differ from knitting 2 together? How does it get the slant to form the opposite way as the k2tog?

I eventually want to form my own design for a v neck sweater by starting from the bottom up then dividing the sides and doing a V neck. I will have to know the difference for my design.

TIA

Bambi

#2

In SSK you:

Slip 1 as if to knit.
Slip another as if to knit.
Then your left needle goes into the FRONT of the slipped stitches from left to right. Your R needle is behind the left needle and you work the stitch.

In K2tog there is no slipping.
Your right needle goes into the left most stitch you want to knit together, then continues through to the right most stitch. You basically are knitting like you normally do, but you go through two stitches at once instead of one stitch.

Check out the decrease videos (the two you asked about are at the top): DECREASE VIDEOS

#3

The SSK twists the stitches when you slip them so that combined with knitting into the back of the stitches makes them lean left.

Video
http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/decreases

#4

Thanks! Makes such a huge difference in 3D…

Bambi

#5

Bambi,

The videos on this site are INVALUABLE!