How to Knit a Purl Decrease

To make any shaped items when knitting stockinette, especially garments, it is important to use increases and decreases to create the shape of the knitted fabric. In some cases, the decrease must be made on the back, or purl, side of a stockinette fabric. Though this is similar to a knit decrease, this focuses on the specifics of two methods for making a purl decrease.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Knitting project
• Knitting needles

Purl 2 Together

1. Slide your needle purl-wise into the two stitches you want to decrease.

2. Pass the yarn around the needle just as you would for a single purl stitch.

3. Pull the right needle back out with the new single purl stitch on it.

4. Slide the two original purl stitches off the left needle, tighten your new stitch if necessary, and continue the row.

Slip 1, Purl 1, Pass Slipped Stitch Over

5. Slide the right hand needle purl-wise into the first stitch where the decrease belongs.

6. Move that first stitch to the right hand needle without wrapping the yarn at all.

7. Purl the next stitch as usual, and move it to the right hand needle.

8. Slide the left hand needle into the slipped stitch (which is now the second stitch on your right hand needle), and pull it over the end stitch and off the tip of the needle.

9. Tighten stitches as necessary, and continue your row.

Tips & Warnings

• This purl decrease is commonly abbreviated as s1, p1, psso.