This free video tutorial focuses on an essential skill for shaping any garment or accessory: how to decrease stitches in knitting.
Decreasing is most commonly done along the edges (sides) of your knitted fabric or evenly spaced across the rows for shaping.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- At the Beginning of the Row: To decrease stitches at the start of a row, insert your working needle into the first two stitches on the left needle simultaneously and work them together as a purl (or knit, depending on your pattern instructions).
- At the End of the Row: To decrease at the end of the row, work the final two remaining stitches together in the same manner.
- In the Middle of the Fabric: To decrease stitches neatly in the center of your work (such as for shaping darts or raglan lines), insert your right needle into two stitches at once from left to right on the right-side (knit) row, and knit them together as one stitch (K2tog).
- Important Tip: All decrease rows are typically performed on the right side (front) of the work, while the wrong side (purl rows) should be worked according to your established stitch pattern.
As you can see, once you understand these basic shaping techniques, decreasing stitches will become quick, effortless, and second nature.
You can watch the “How to Knit: Decreasing Stitches” video tutorial online at any time, completely free of charge. Happy knitting!
