Slipping Purlwise and Exceptions to the Rule

When you slip a stitch before a psso, it should be slipped purlwise, meaning from back to front as if you were making a purl stitch, unless otherwise noted in the pattern.

One common exception to the rule of always slipping as if to purl—and another common use of the pass slipped stitch over move—is in the decrease abbreviated s2kp (or s2kp2), also known as a centered double decrease.

In this case, the two stitches slipped at the beginning of the decrease are slipped at the same time, in the same sort of move as if you were knitting them together rather than purling. The combination of the motion of a knit 2 together, which leans to the right, and the passing over of the slipped stitch, which leans to the left, make a decrease where neither side is prominent, which is why it is said to be centered.

Because of that, the decrease is also often paired with increases such as yarn overs or make ones.

Similar Posts You Might Enjoy:

Classic Mitered Corner Napkins in Early Spring Bundle

New Yarn: Purl Soho’s Linen Quill

Debra says:Spellbinding!
Thanks so much for this clear, concise instruction.Beverly Hirschfeld says:I love the purl soho site. Your patterns are my go to ones. Thank you for the updates.Sue Tolleson-Rinehart says:That was exceptionally clear, concise, and helpful! Thank you!Blanche Stevens says:Marilla says:

Hello Blanche,
Thank you for reaching out! In the Bandana Cowl pattern you are knitting in the round so even though you are switching between knit rows and purl rows to create a garter stitch you will be doing your S2kPO on the outsideot right side of your cowl. This means that it will be knit so S2kPO or slip 2, knit, pass over.
I hope this clears things up for you and let us know if you have any further questions!
Happy knitting!
-Marilla

Sofia says:

Thanks!! the video is so clearly well explained! I love you page and the amount of beautiful and lovely patterns you share for free!! Hope to be able to visit your real shop once there in USA.
hugs from Argentina!

Kate C says:

This is great, thanks. When doing a variation on this, the “yfwd, skpo,” after moving the yarn to front and slipping the stitch, do you have to move the yarn to the back again before doing the knit stitch, or do you leave it in front for the knit stitch? To me the YO is one of the most confusing things about knitting, because I am so literal when reading instructions! Thank you.

Marilla says:

Hello Kate,
Thank you for reaching out! Unless otherwise noted, your working yarn must be to the back for you to be able to knit a stitch. This means that you will put your yarn to the back to do your knit stitch.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla

Donna Carlson says:What is the difference between S2KP and CDD?Julianna says:Jean Dixon says:

Re Bandana Cowl and the issue of S2KPO on the purl side, is the yarn in front or back of needle JUST BEFORE you slip 2. (Do you move the yarn to the back for knit position before or after slipping the 2 stitches). Thank you and thank you for providing these wonderful patterns and yarns!
Jean

Julianna says:

Hi Jean, Great question! You should move your yarn to the back of the work before slipping the stitches for the S2KPO. Happy knitting!
Julianna

Carole says:Can’t thank you enough – this video was clear simple and direct. Love the video thanks againPatricia D. says:

This is a great technique to make pointed triangles in the middle of the work! How would one find where to start this decrease in a pattern if we wanted to add it to our work? Divide stitches in half and subtract 1? It would be great to know! Thanks, Pat!

Slipped Double Decreases

While the double decreases explained above are commonly used, there are actually more ways to create double decreases. The next four methods all work two stitches together (either knitting or purling) and slipping the third stitch over this pair to create the double decrease. The stitch that is passed over creates the slant for the decrease.

The lace swatch below shows two of these methods and the knitwise central decrease (look for the two central columns of stitches that run the length of the swatch). The first repeat of the pattern (at the bottom) uses the S2KP (a central decrease); the second pattern repeat (in the middle of the swatch) uses an SK2P which gives it a left-leaning slant, and the third pattern repeat (at the top of the swatch) uses the K2SP which produces a less obvious right-leaning slant.

K2SP & SK2P

The knit side versions of these slipped double decreases are abbreviated K2SP & SK2P. The SK2P may also be abbreviated ‘sl1-k2tog-psso’. Both double decreases involve knitting two stitches together. The third stitch in the grouping is passed over the single decrease to create a double decrease and gives the decrease it’s final directional slant.

To work the K2SP:

1. Knit to stitches together.
2. Slip the resulting stitch back to the left needle, purlwise. (Image 1)
3. Insert the right needle into the front leg of the second stitch on the left needle and slip it over the first stitch (Image 2) and off the left needle.
4. Slip the completed stitch, purlwise, back to the right needle. (Image 3)
5. The final image below demonstrates how that second stitch that is passed over the single decrease gives this stitch it’s right-leaning slant.

To work the SK2P:

1. Slip one stitch, knitwise, from the left needle to the right needle. (Image 1)
2. Knit two stitches together. (Image 2)
3. Insert the left needle into the leg of the second stitch on the right needle and pass it over the first stitch and off the right needle. (Image 3)
4. The final image shows how passing that slipped stitch over the single decrease provides the left-leaning slant of the double decrease.

Central Double Decreases

Centered (or central) double decreases have no obvious slant to the right or to the left. Instead, the center stitch remains on top, while the stitch to either side is hidden underneath.

This type of decrease is often used in lace designs where a slanted decrease isn’t desired (see the lace swatch at the beginning of this section). It’s also used as the central stitch in a V-neck sweater to clearly define the center of the neckband (as shown in the image below).

S2KP (Knitwise Central Decrease)

On the knit side of your fabric, the central decrease that is used is abbreviated S2KP (it may also be abbreviated as CDD or S2KP2). It may also be abbreviated as ‘sl2-k1-p2sso’ or referred to as a mitered double decrease. Like the other slipped double decreases, it involves slipping stitches. But this time, instead of working a single decrease and slipping the third stitch over, two stitches are slipped together as one stitch and only one stitch is worked before the two slipped stitches are passed over this one stitch.

To work the S2KP:

1. Insert the right needle into the first two stitches on the left needle as if to knit two together. (Image 1)
2. From that position, slip the two stitches from the left needle to the right needle. (Image 2)
3. Knit the next stitch on the left needle.
4. Insert the left needle into the front legs of both the slipped stitches and pass them over the just knit stitch and off the right needle. (Image 3)
5. The final image shows how the final decrease looks – the central stitch is prominent while a stitch is decreased at either side.

S2PP (Purlwise Central Decrease)

The S2PP central double decrease is the purl row equivalent to the double decrease explained above (it can also be abbreviated SSPP2). Like the S2KP, two stitches are slipped together as one stitch and only one stitch is worked before the two slipped stitches are passed over this one stitch.

But that is where the similarities end. This purl side equivalent involves many more steps to get the passed over stitches in their proper position to create the central decrease line. All these extra steps and stitch manipulation create a stitch that is more difficult to work and may appear messier (because of all that extra handling of the slipped stitches). Regardless, it may be useful to understand how this stitch is worked.