The SKP Decrease: Slip 1, Knit 1, Pass Slipped Stitch Over

skip decrease

The Spruce

Project Overview
  • Total Time: 5 mins
  • Skill Level: Intermediate

The SKP decrease is single left-slanting decrease technique for your knitting projects.

Abbreviations or instructions in knitting patterns that you will see for this technique are:

  • SKP
  • slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over
  • sl 1, k 1, psso

SKP is an easy left-leaning decrease that gives basically the same effect as an SSK or slip, slip, knit. You may see it used in combination with k2tog (knit two together) to produce symmetrical decreases on each side of your knitted object.

Decreases are done to narrow or taper your knitting piece. They reduce the number of stitches on your needles. The SKP decrease reduces one stitch.

Watch Now: How to Slip Knit Pass

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • 1 Set of knitting needles

Materials

  • 1 Knitting project

Instructions

  1. Slip the First Stitch

    To begin, work to where the decrease is supposed to be in the row and slip the first stitch as if to knit.

    skp
    Sarah E. White
  2. Knitting the Stitch

    As the abbreviation and the longer name of this decrease tell you, the next step in knitting an SKP decrease is to knit the next stitch.

    Now you have slipped a stitch and knitted a stitch.

    SKP
    Sarah E. White
  3. Pass the Slipped Stitch Over

    Next, the slipped stitch is grabbed with the left-hand needle and passed over the knit stitch and off the needle, in much the same manner as a stitch is reduced when binding off knitting.

    SKP
    Sarah E. White
  4. The Final Stitch

    Once the decrease has been completed, continue the row as usual. The final SKP looks the same as an SSK or slip, slip, knit, and they can be used interchangeably if you prefer one method over the other.

    skp
    Sarah E. White

More Decreases Step By Step

There are many different decrease techniques that reduce your stitch count by one or more stitches. Here are a few you will see.

  • SSK Instructions: See step-by-step instructions for the SSK decrease, which gives the same results as the SKP decrease.
  • Knit Two Together Decrease: This decrease technique is used to make a right-slanted decrease. It may be used in combination with the SSK or SKP decrease to make even decreases on two sides of the knitted object. It is abbreviated k2tog or K2Tog.
  • Slip 1, Knit 2 Together, Pass Slipped Stitch Over Decrease: This decrease reduces two stitches compared with one stitch for the SKP.
  • Slip, Slip, Slip, Knit Decrease (sssk): This is a decrease that reduces two stitches and leans to the left. It is a mirror of the knit 3 together decrease.
  • Knit Three Together Decrease (k3tog): Like the knit 2 together, this is a decrease that slants to the right. It decreases two stitches. It can be a bit of a struggle to get all three stitches together to make this decrease.
  • Knit 2 Together Through the Back Loop Decrease (k2tog tbl): This is a variation of the knit two together, be sure to note the tbl portion of the instruction abbreviation.