Swatches 7 through 9 are demonstrations of various decrease techniques.
Swatch #7
Swatch 7 demonstrates “Blended Decreases” using SSK (Slip, Slip, Knit) on the right edge and K2Tog (Knit 2 Together) on the left edge.
SSK is a left-slanting decrease and is made by slipping 1 stitch as if to knit, then slipping a second stitch as if to knit, then inserting the left needle into these two stitches and knitting them together.
K2Tog is a right-slanting decrease. K2Tog decreases are the basic decrease every knitter learns. You simply insert the right needle into two stitches on the left needle and knit them together.
I have had difficulty finding a reference that actually defines “Blended Decreases”. Through my research it appears that “Blended Decreases” are decreases that slant or slope in the direction of the desired shaping. In this swatch the left-slanting decrease on the right edge and the right-slanting decrease on the left edge slope in toward the center of the swatch.
SKP decreases are also sometimes written as S1, K1 PSSO in patterns. This is a left-slanting decrease and is done on the right edge of the swatch. Any decrease that requires you to pass a stitch over another one results in a somewhat uneven stitch due to the stretching that occurs when you pass the stitch over.
The KSP decrease was a new method for me. It is a right-slanting decrease that mirrors the SKP decrease and was knit on the left edge of this swatch. KSP is done by knitting a stitch, then slipping the stitch back on the left needle and passing the stitch over the next stitch with the right needle, then slipping the stitch back from the left needle to the right needle.
Swatch #9
Swatch 9 uses the K2Tog and SSK decreases but is different from Swatch 7 in that the K2Tog is done on the right edge and the SSK is done on the left edge.
TKGA refers to this swatch as “Full Fashioned”. I have not found a specific definition for the term “Full Fashioned” in my references. However, two of my sources refer to full fashioned decreases as decreases that are done with 2 or more stitches on the edge, making the decreases more visible and part of the intended design of the knitted fabric. In this swatch, the K2Tog decrease on the right edge slants to the right and stands out against the slope of the fabric. Likewise the SSK decrease on the left edge slants to the left and stands out against the slope of the fabric on that side. These decreases are more visible than those in Swatch 7.
2 thoughts on “Master Knitter Level I – Swatches #7, #8, & #9 – Decreases”
Wow! I can’t believe how quick you are whipping these things out! The decreases all look really similar in the photos, though are they are different in person?
I’ll bring them with me so you can see them more closely — if you double click on the photo, I believe you get an enlarged view of it — so that may help as well.
First, a definition: A Helpful Swatch is a swatch that gives you, the knitter, information that helps you in the planning, preparation and construction of your knitting project. It tells you a number of things that are essential for successful completion, among them:
Your stitch and row gauge with the yarn and needles you have selected for your project
The type of fabric produced with your yarn and your gauge.
What happens when the yarn is washed and dried.
What adjustments are needed to make a garment that fits the way you want it
How a given stitch pattern looks when knitted using your selected yarn.
In addition, you can use your swatch to test out different techniques such as decreases or increases that you might want to use during construction. Full disclosure here: You’ll need to knit more than one swatch to get a helpful swatch. This is why most experienced knitters will tell you that you should buy an extra skein of yarn just for swatching.
One of the first issues new knitters encounter when doing a swatch is not knitting a big enough swatch — they tend to cast on only enough to knit a 4 inch square. In most cases, this isn’t big enough to provide helpful information. So, how big does a swatch need to be? The short answer is: Big enough to get a good sense of how the project will knit up. Elizabeth Zimmerman wrote that “a hat is a good swatch” – which is true if you are planning to knit your sweater in the round. Some knitters use a sleeve as their swatch, others knit a swatch that is at least 6 inches wide by 6 inches high. I would say that the 6 X 6 swatch is a good starting point – but you made need to make one that is even wider.
GAUGE: Here’s one inescapable truth about yarn, needles, and gauge: “Your Mileage May Vary”. Meaning that gauge is a very personal thing – it’s yours and yours alone. It is a measurement of the fabric YOU produce when you knit. So doing a swatch to identify your gauge is important to your success.
Before you start your first swatch you need to decide what size needle works best for the project. Yarn labels usually have a recommended needle size and gauge listed. Some manufacturers state a range on the label, others use a symbol to indicate the recommended gauge. Either way, this is just the starting point. A pattern may also include information about the yarn, needles and gauge the designer used to create the pattern. Both sources provide you with a starting point for selecting the size needle you need to use to obtain the knitted fabric you want to make.
Gauge written on label
Symbol showing gauge
Here are the steps I follow to make a Gauge Swatch:
Select 3 sizes of needles – if the recommended needle size on the yarn label is a US 7, I use a US 6, US 7, and US 8 for this swatch.
Cast on enough stitches on the smallest needle size for a width of at least 6 inches. (To estimate the number of stitches to cast on, I use the recommended gauge on the yarn label. For example, the label states 20 stitches in 4 inches, that’s 5 stitches per inch, so I’d cast on 30 stitches for 6 inches.). Knit in stockinette stitch for at least 3-4 inches ending with a right side (knit) row.
Knit the wrong side row to indicate where the change in needle size occurs.
Change to the US 7 and knit in stockinette stitch for another 3-4 inches.
Repeat steps 3 & 4 with the US 8. Bind off loosely. (You can also just put the live stitches on waste yarn).
Take stitch and row gauge measurements for all needle sizes and make note of these before blocking per step 7.
Block this swatch using the care instructions on the yarn label.
Once the swatch is dry, take stitch and row gauge measurements for each needle size and write them down in your project notes. These are your “finished gauges”.
Select the needle size by looking at the fabric produced by each size needle. Which one gives you the best fabric? Do you like the stitch definition? Do you like the way it drapes and feels? Is one better than the other two? It’s your choice – but this helps you select the needle that works best with you and your choice of yarn.
Measuring the Swatch for Gauge:
Stitch gauge is expressed as “number of stitches in number of inches (or centimeters)”. You may see this as “20 sts/4 in (10cm) or 5 sts/in. To determine your stitch gauge you need to count the number of stitches in a horizontally measured row of stitches. This measurement should be taken using a ruler and marking the starting point and ending point away from the edges.
Row gauge is expressed as “number of rows in number of inches (or centimeters)”. You may see this as “28 rows/4 in( 10cm) or 7 rows/inch. To determine your row gauge you need to count the number of rows in a vertically measured column of stitches. Again, the measurement needs to be taken using a ruler and away from the top and bottom edges of the swatch.
Note that it is not necessary to measure just 4 inches horizontally or vertically. If you measure more than 4 inches, you may get a more accurate gauge because it will give you a better average – yes – gauge is actually the average number of stitches or rows per inch. And, math is required to determine gauge.
There are any number of YouTube videos available on measuring gauge swatches to determine stitch and row gauge. I recommend the following ones for more detailed explanation:
I have finished the legs on my SFS regulation socks and knitted the heel flap.
Then I did the heel turn – which required some juggling. I slipped one sock heel onto a another circular needle while I knit the heel turn and then repeated the process for the second sock. This seemed easier than trying to knit the two heel turns with the same circular needle at the same time.
The real challenge was to pick up the gusset stitches and at one point I had 4 circular needles in use. But I was successful in picking up the gusset stitches on both sides of the heel.
Now on to knitting the gusset and switching back to larger needles about halfway through.
I have not been actively blogging since about 2014. Life has a way of intervening from time to time, and I stepped away from the task of updating my blog and website to focus on other things happening in my life.
I just finished updating my website pages with a new theme and color scheme. I have also updated links throughout. As often happens links change over time or become inactive. I hope you find the updates pleasing and that you will continue to check in to my blog from time to time as I plan on making regular posts going forward.
My next post will be the first of a series of posts discussing swatches. Swatches are one of those things that you learn to appreciate over time and I will be sharing what I have learned as I have grown as a knitter.
Wow! I can’t believe how quick you are whipping these things out! The decreases all look really similar in the photos, though are they are different in person?
I’ll bring them with me so you can see them more closely — if you double click on the photo, I believe you get an enlarged view of it — so that may help as well.