Inserting the right needle from left to right into three stitches at the same time is a pain, but this is what we have to do when we make a “knit 3 together” decrease, usually marked in knitting patterns as k3tog.
This decrease becomes a real struggle when we knit with yarn in a medium or bulky weight, and the situation worsens when we work in a tighter gauge.
Fortunately, there is a much easier way to make a right-slanting double decrease that looks the same (if not neater!) as the decrease formed by knitting three stitches together.
Let’s see how we can make this decrease in five simple steps with no need to wrestle with stitches.
If you are a visual learner, watch each step in a video tutorial:
STEP 1
When we get to the three stitches that will form the decrease, we knit the first stitch.
STEP 2
Then we slip this newly minted stitch to the left needle. We do it purlwise, without twisting the stitch.
STEP 3
In this step, we insert the tip of the right needle from right to left into the second stitch on the left needle.
And pass this stitch over the first one and off the left needle.
STEP 4
This step is very similar to the previous one. To decrease one more stitch, we insert the tip of the right needle from right to left into the second stitch on the left needle.
And pass this stitch over the first one and off the needle.
STEP 5
We decreased a group of three stitches to one stitch, and we’ve already knitted that stitch in step 1. No need to knit it again.
That’s why we simply slip it purlwise to the right needle.
That’s all. No struggle and no wrestling with stitches.
The decrease we’ve just formed is almost identical to the one formed by the classic “knit 3 together”.
Here’s a photo of these two decreases side by side. See whether you can tell which is which.
In case you want to check whether your guess was correct, the classic “knit 3 together” is at the right-hand side of the swatch.
This simple method works well in all situations.
The five steps we’ve just discussed are the same no matter whether we knit back and forth or in the round, and we can use this approach with any yarn weight and any size of the needles.
I used this decrease when I made Lacy Hearts Cup Sleeves.
The pattern is published over here. It is free, and you are very welcome to use it to knit a cup sleeve for yourself or as a gift for someone you know.
SAVE IT FOR LATER:
