How to knit the SKP Decrease (Slip, Knit, Pass)

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There are various techniques for decreasing stitches in knitting, one of which is to work a Slip, Knit, Pass Decrease.

Sooner or later every knitter will bump into this technique, so you have to learn it well!

In knitting patterns, you may also see this decrease written as:

  • Slip 1, Knit 1, Pass slipped stitch over
  • sl1, k1, psso

The SKP Decrease is often used to give a decorative aspect to the decrease or in lace patterns (if combined with Yarn Over 😊).

It’s a left-leaning decrease and you just might find that it actually looks a lot like one of the basic decreases and it may be used in combination with the most common Right-Leaning Decrease (knit two stitches together) to produce symmetrical decreases on each side of your knitted project.

How to knit a SKP Decrease

It involves 2 stitches and decreases 1 stitch.

  • Step 1: Slip one stitch to the right needle

Work up to where the decrease is supposed to be (if you’re following a pattern, the pattern will tell you where the decrease goes!).

Accavallata Semplice Tutorial - Passo 1

Slip one stitch knit-wise by inserting your right needle into the next stitch as if you are going to knit it.

  • Step 2: Knit one stitch

Knit the following stitch.

Accavallata Semplice Tutorial - Passo 2

The first stitch on your right needle is the stitch just knitted, the second stitch is the stitch you slipped.

  • Step 3: Pass the slipped stitch over the knit stitch

Insert the left-needle tip into the slipped stitch (the second stitch on your right needle!).

Accavallata Semplice Tutorial - Passo 3

Pass the slipped stitch over the stitch you just knitted.

You’ve now completed a SKP Decrease and you have one less stitch on your needles.

It’s easy!

Accavallata Semplice Tutorial - Passo 4

Now, all you have to do is practice!

And once done, show us your projects on Instagram, using the hashtag #bettaknit!

 

In this post we used our beautiful 12 mm/17 US Beechwood Knitting Needles and one ball of Peruvian wool, Cool Wool, in Honey color, a perfect yarn to practice with all the techniques!

Try our yarns! On our website you will find a wide catalog of wool online: wool and cotton skeins of the best fibers (alpaca, mohair, Peruvian wool, Pima cotton and recycled yarns ), as well as Knit Kits and Crochet Kits containing everything you need!

Test yourself and start now!