When a Knitting Pattern says SSK
You will often read a knitting pattern for a project that involves either shaping or a fancy stitch. A lot of these patterns will call for a decrease of some form.
The SSK is a left-leaning decrease. The stitch is called “Slip, Slip, Knit”.
This is a relatively new method of creating a left-leaning decrease. The end result is very close to an SKP (Slip 1, Knit 1, PSSO). Since I learned the SSK technique, I always use it where I see the phrase “Sl 1. K 1. PSSO.” in a knitting pattern.
Let us see how it is done.
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This sequence starts with skipping two stitches KNITWISE. (There are some variations, in which one stitch is slipped knitwise and the other purlwise, but the most common form has both of them slipped knitwise.)
Thi photo shows a stitch being slipped knitwise. The right-hand needle is inserted into the stitch as if to knit, but instead of knitting, the left-hand needle stitch is just moved to the right hand needle.  SSK Step 1 |
This photo shows the two stitches slipped knitwise to the right-hand needle.
 SSK Step 2 |
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Here is the interesting part. We have done the “Slip Slip” part of the SSK. Now it is time to do the “Knit” part.
Insert the LEFT-HAND (old) needle through those two slipped stitches from left to right. The left-hand needle will be slightly in front of the right-hand needle.  SSK Step 3 |
Now, wrap the yarn around the right-hand needle as if you were doing a normal knit stitch.
 SSK Step 4 |
Pull the yarn through those two stitches. The slipped stitches will have miraculously slid back to the left-hand needle (see the photo).
 SSK Step 5 Now, drop those slipped stitches from the left-hand needle. The decrease is done. |
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This photo shows a completed SSK. In this case it was the second and third stitches of the previous row that were involved in the decrease. Notice in the row below the needle that the second stitch is wrapped around the third, giving it the left slant.
 SSK Completed |
