Toe shaping

#1

I’m on my second sock of the valentine socks from Lion Brand. Being new to socks, I don’t want to veer from the pattern much at all. It has me skp (slip, knit pass) as one decrease stitch and k2tog as the other. The skp makes a bar-looking stitch and the k2tog is much smoother looking. What would happen if I just did the k2tog on all of them. Seems like a silly question and maybe I should just do it to see, but I don’t want to mess up my sock and I followed the pattern on the first one. So, why are these decrease stitches different?
thanks,
Julie

#2

Julie, the reason why most sock knitting patterns call for a K2tog stitch at the first and third decrease is for leaning purposes. The K2tog is a right leaning decrease. If you are not comfortable with the Slip, knit pass one the pattern calls for you can try a SSK or improved SSK which is also a left leaning decrease.
Katrina

#3

I’m no help but I do understand what you mean.
I used SKP on my hats so I’d get some binding off experience with the passes.

I thought it was just me on the first hat, I rewatched the video but it did the same thing on the second hat no matter what I tried.

IMO (or experience) SKP is not a good match for K2tog.
Why would anyone use it as a match for K2tog? Maybe we’re doing it wrong or maybe they don’t notice the difference.

#4

i just did my first toe and it was with the SSK. It worked out nicely.

#5

I guess I’m one who doesn’t notice the difference. I just looked at a completed sock I did and to me the 2 decreases look the same. I find they match very well for me.

#6

Next time I’ll use the improved ssk. It looks like it’d be better. Thanks everyone!
Julie

#7

I just went back and looked at the videos again, and the SSP looks even better (little more complicated though). It says in the text that it’s a good match for k2tog, so you might want to check it out too Mike.
Julie

#8

SSP would be used if you are knitting flat and making something like a sweater, scarf, etc. when you are usually on the wrong side of your work; however, if you are making something in the round like mittens, socks, or hats using a knit type left-leaning decrease is preferred since you are on the knit side of the fabric. I hope I have not confused you.
Katrina

#9

Katrina, that makes perfect sense to me. Thank you! The “pearl” part should of clued me in. Still so much to learn, and enjoying every bit of it.
Julie

#10

I’m a row or two away from decreasing again so I’m here to check out the videos to pick one and get refreshed.
Earlier I tried a SSK and it looked OK, but that was only a single dec and not a row right next to a row of K2tog.

I’ve been wondering about the SKP, if my stitches aren’t too tight and the pass over stretches that stitch.
It was in the middle of this hat that I figured out my tension better. Maybe I’ll try SKP again on something I start working loose with.

I’m working stockinette in the round at the point I’m decreasing so SSP isn’t an option.