Decrease stitches
There are various methods of reducing the number of stitches. The choice of decreasing
depends on how you want the end result to look. You can of course simply cast off the
stitches at the edges. Or you choose a more decorative method: either knit two together or
slip one, knit one pass slip stitch over. This way raglan shaping and V-necks get a neat
edge which makes it easier the sew the pieces together or to pick up stitches to finish
off the edges. In ajouré and structure patterns it is often the case that you have to
knit stitches together. Therefore the results depends very much on whether you knit two
together or pass a slip stitch over.
Knit two together
You knit two stitches together by going through both stitches from left to right and
knitting these in one move. The first stitch disappears under the second and only one
stitch remains, so one stitch has been decreased.
Sloping decrease looks like this:
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Photo 1:
Right Edge: Edge stitch, knit one, knit two together. |
Photo 2:
Left Edge: knit two together, knit one, edge stitch. |
In our example one stitch was decreased
in every second row.
This can also be done with several stitches. For instance you slip one stitch, knit the
next two together and pass the slip stitch over. The second and third stitch disappear
under the first and only one stitch remains - two have been decreased.
Decorative seam
If you sew these decreased slopes together you get a very decorative seam.
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Photo 5:
Right edge: slip one, knit one, pass slip stitch over (Photo 3), left edge: knit two
together. (Photo 2) |
Photo 6:
Right edge: knit two together (Photo 1), left edge: slip one, knit one pass slip stitch
over (Photo 4) |
You can decide which is better suited
for your piece of work.
Another tip
When knittiing more than three stitches together, use a crochet hook to help pull the yarn
through.
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