Your Guide to Knitting Decreases

Last week I shared a little bit about knitting increases, so it makes sense we’d continue our learning with a look at knitting decreases.

I feel like there are fewer options for decreases in knitting than there are increases, but it may just be that there are a few that are used really commonly. Most of the time you will use either knit two together or slip, slip, knit. K2tog is usually the decrease most people learn first, and when you want to be a little fancier and start using mirrored increases you can add in ssk. (For reference, knit two togethers slant to the right, while slip, slip, knits slant to the left.)

I have always loved this visual guide to knitting decreases from Knitting Help, which shows you what all the different decreases look like and how you can pair different decreases that lean different ways. For example you can also pair a knit 2 together with a slip, slip, purl instead of a slip, slip, knit, which makes a tighter looking decrease than a ssk.

The page linked above has written instructions for each decrease, as well as links to videos if you need them. it only covers single decreases, which are the most common kinds of decreases, but sometimes you want to decrease more than one stitch at a time.

In that case you will want to use what’s known as a double decrease. The most common of these is known as the centered double decrease, which is a great design element when you don’t want a decrease that leans. (It’s done by slipping a stitch, knitting two together, then passing the slipped stitch over the stitch you just worked.)

But there are other options, as this post from Tonia Knits explores. It describes 10 different ways to make double decreases. Between these two pages you’ll probably have every decrease you could ever need in your knitting career!

[Photo: Knitting Help.]

Learn Basic Decreases to Shape Your Knitting

Your Quick Reference Guide to Common Increases and Decreases

Make Prettier Decreases with This Tip

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It felt like it had been a while since I’d done a roundup of knitting patterns involving sheep, and if search is any indication, that is true. I found a roundup of patterns for knit sheep from a few years ago, but the only one with v I could find is from 2015. So it’s definitely time to revisit this fun genre of knitting patterns.

This all started with a headband. Alyssa Kaat’s Icelandic Sheep Headband (free on Ravelry) to be specific. Ravelry showed it to me as a pattern highlight and I couldn’t resist taking a closer look. It’s worked with two colors of worsted weight yarn and alternates sheep with stars around your head.

Another great sheepy headband is this one from Loch Fyne Crafts on Etsy. These sweet little sheep are worked in bulky yarn and you can make the background look like field and sky or work it in a solid color.

Or make a headband (or a hat, cowl, or all three) covered with a flock of sheep with this set of patterns from New Age Knitting CA. These pieces also use the field/sky coloring, but you can use whatever colors of worsted weight yarn you like.

Speaking of hats, there’s also the sheep hat from Lynann Knits Designs. The sample was worked in Icelandic wool to make the sheep and the hat extra fuzzy and warm, but any worsted weight yarn will work.

There’s also the Wandering Sheep hat from Kat Hudon (on Ravelry), which features a fun collection of speckled sheep that can be worked in different yarn weights to make different sizes of hats for kids and adults.

And lest you think sheep need to be knit in traditional stranded colorwork, check out the Rebel Sheep Mob blanket by Deborah Moore. This one is worked in mosaic knitting using fingering weight yarn. In mosaic knitting you’re only working with one color per row so it’s pretty easy. You can find this pattern on Ravelry.

I can’t possibly share sheep knitting patterns without mentioning the amazing Black Sheep Shadow Shawl by Mark Jamieson. Shadow knitting is a technique I want to do more of, but it involves working two rows alternating in two different colors and the pattern emerges when you look at the design from an angle. It’s so cool and the sheep on this one are amazing! It’s not a beginner project but well worth the work. You can find it on Ravelry or at the designer’s website.

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