Knitting Two Stitches Together (k2tog)

Once you’ve learned to knit and purl, you’ll want to add a few more stitches to your skill set in order to make all sorts of knitting projects. Knitting two stitches together (k2tog) is a simple decrease stitch that you’ll find in many patterns. You’ll see it in patterns like socks and sweaters, and you’ll commonly find it used to decrease the crown of a hat. In this video, Jen Lucas shows you just how easy this versatile single decrease stitch is to work.

KNIT TWO STITCHES TOGETHER (K2TOG)

This decrease is commonly abbreviated as k2tog in knitting patterns and is often paired with the slip, slip, knit (ssk) decrease since they lean in opposite directions. The k2tog leans to the right, and the ssk leans to the left. You’ll find that these stitches are commonly used on rows where you are working all knit stitches because these decreases are created with knit stitches.

The k2tog decrease begins by having your yarn to the back of the work. Insert the right needle into the next two stitches on the left needle, working into the second stitch and then the first stitch, so that you are inserting the needle into them together. Knit the two stitches together as if they are one. Now you have decreased your knitting by one stitch, as you’ve taken two stitches and turned it into a single stitch.