How to Knitting

Choose which decrease to use. If you are knitting without a pattern or if the pattern is very vague, you will have to rely only on your own skills to choose how to do it.Consider whether you want a break in work or a seamless change.The following steps will help you learn some of the decrease techniques.

Work two straight stitches together: This is one of the simplest decreases.To do this, drop by sliding the needle under the second lower stitch as if you were about to work it and also pick up the first stitch.Then work them both.You're basically treating two points as if it were one.This is a narrow decrease, decreasing to the right.

Purl two stitches together: It's the same thing as knitting two stitches together, only this time you'll take the two stitches as if you were purling one, and purl them to create a decrease to the left.

Straight stitch and back, pass it and back: Make a straight stitch and then slide it back onto the left needle.Use the right needle to slip the second stitch over the left stitch above this stitch.Slide the first stitch on the left needle onto the right needle to finish the decreasing decrease on the right.

Slip a stitch knitwise twice and work it: This is a similar technique to the first.Slide the first two stitches (in the working direction) off the left needle and onto the right needle.Insert the left needle into both stitches and work them from behind.This is another narrow decrease, decreasing to the right.

• There is also the improved version of the decrease above, where you slide the first stitch in the knitting direction and the second in the wrong direction, so that the decrease lies flat.

Purl two stitches and work them: Slip two stitches straight and then bring them back to the left needle.Increase with the back through the two stitches and join them together with a purl for a decreasing decrease on the right.

Slip 1 stitch, knit 1, pass over the slipped stitch, knit stitch, knit 1, or pass over the unworked stitch: Slip a stitch purl, purl one and then slip a stitch and slip the second stitch from the right needle onto the first stitch to make a decreasing decrease to the right.

Decrease with yarn over: Slide the yarn over as if you were making a yarn over. Slip two straight stitches, and then work them together like a regular yarn over as you slide them back onto the left needle.