Have you ever encountered a knitting pattern that uses the abbreviation “SSK” and wondered what it means? You’re not alone! SSK is one of many abbreviations used in knitting patterns, and it stands for “slip, slip, knit.” It’s easy to decrease your stitch count when you’re working on a project. Let’s take a closer look at what does SSK mean in knitting and how it’s used.
What is SSK?
SSK is an abbreviation used in knitting patterns that stands for “slip, slip, knit.” This technique is used to reduce the number of stitches on your needle by creating a new stitch out of two existing ones. For example, if you have 10 stitches on your hand and need to decrease to 8 stitches, you can use the SSK technique to accomplish this.
How To Do the SSK Stitch?
The process for doing an SSK stitch is actually quite simple. Here are the steps:
- First, slip two stitches from the left needle to the right needle as if you were going to purl them.
- Next, insert your left needle into the front loops of these two slipped stitches from right to left.
- Finally, knit those two slipped stitches together with your right needle and slide them off the left needle as one stitch. This is called an SSK decrease. When done correctly it will create a slanted decrease on the right side of your work and a neat decrease line on the wrong side of your work. It’s important to note that some patterns may also use “SKP” which stands for “Slip 1, Knit 1 Pass Slipped Stitch Over” and serves virtually the same purpose as an SSK but creates a slanted decrease on the opposite side the left side.
Also Read: What Does KBF Mean in Knitting
Conclusion
Using abbreviations like SSK can make following knitting patterns much easier and now that you know what they mean, you can confidently tackle all sorts of projects without feeling overwhelmed! The next time you come across this term in a pattern just remember that it stands for “slip, slip, knit” and with practice soon enough you’ll be able to do this stitch without even thinking about it.
Also Read: What is the Average Length of a Knitted Scarf
