Market Bag Knit-along #6 - The Two-Row SSK

We have arrived at the sixth episode in the “Market Bag Knit-along” tutorial series, all aimed at looking at tips and techniques for working the new BYOB Market Bag knitting pattern. If you would like to start with the very first episode, then please click here and then follow the links at the bottom of each page until you get back here.

So today, I will be looking at the central openwork panel which makes the bag so beautifully lightweight and flexible. This stitch pattern is a mixture of yarn over increases combined with two different decreases:

• the k2tog/knit 2 sts together,
• and the SSK/Slip, Slip, Knit.

The k2tog decrease leans to the right while the SSK goes towards the left, so they are often combined in lace patterns to give mirror image decreases.
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However, the SSK decrease is a tricky manœuvre and so it often ends up elongated or distorted compared to its k2tog companion. The problem comes down to the way in which the SSK is worked, so I am going to suggest an alternative approach – working the decrease over two rounds not just one!

The k2tog decrease

So let’s look first at the k2tog decrease. This is easy to work and gives a very neat result. Instead of inserting your needle into just the next stitch, you put it through the next two. Then you knit them together in the usual way.

So the technique feels very familiar and you don't have to prepare the stitches before working them.

The SSK decrease

However, when you come to work the SSK decrease this is not the case. Instead, you need to:

• Insert the needle into the next stitch as though you are going to knit it but then just slip it from the left‐hand (LH) needle to the right.
• Do the same again with the next stitch, then pass both of these back to the LH needle.
• Now insert your knitting needle into the back of these two sts and knit them together through the back loops (k2tog tbl).

This is the SSK decrease – you slip one stitch, slip another, then k2tog tbl.

You can probably see that you can streamline that a bit and not have to actually pass the stitches back to the LH needle to complete the second part of the working, but even so it is a lot of moving of stitches before you get to actually knit them together.
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If you are at the right point in your pattern, you could try this out on the first part of the openwork panel. So change to the larger-sized needles as directed and then work around the whole round trying to get this decrease as neat as possible.

Two‐Row SSK

The key part about the slipping of the stitches knitwise is to change the way that they are sitting on the needle – ie to change the 'mount' of the stitch. Before knitting them together, we need to make them sit backwards.

However, that is the place where the stitches can get pulled out of shape. By picking them up, slipping them to another needle and then passing them back again, extra yarn has been pulled out of neighbouring stitches and they have become distorted. However, there is a solution in that you can prepare for this decrease on the previous round. Try this:

• Next rnd: *Knit 3 sts by bringing the yarn under the needle in the usual way,
• then knit 2 sts bringing the yarn over the needle;
• rep from * to the end of the round.

So that's [k3 under, k2 over] all the way around. [See the diagram above.]
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It is a little tricky to get your hands to work the knit stitch the reverse way at first, but persevere and soon it will be smooth and quick. You probably even remember doing this when you were first learning to knit and discovered that your stitches weren't always facing the right way!

You will see that in each group of 5 stitches you now have three stitches that face to the left [coloured green in the diagram above] and 2 stitches that face to the right [coloured blue].
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Then your next round will be:

• Next rnd: *K2tog, yo, k1, yo, k2tog tbl; rep from * to end of rnd.

Much simpler and neater. The stitches do not need to be separately manipulated, the k2tog and the k2tog tbl are both quick to work, and the stitches are not pulled or distorted out of shape.

And you can use this technique wherever you encounter an SSK decrease., not just in this pattern but elsewhere too. Just note all the SSK's in your pattern chart and highlight the two stitches in the row or round below. Work them 'backwards' so they will be mounted facing to the right and then your SSK will be neat and easy on the subsequent row.

Eastern Uncrossed Knitting
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Some of you may by now have realised that you have seen this wrapping technique before. In fact, it is thought that stitches were always worked this way when knitting was first invented! It even has a name in knitting, as this method is called "Eastern Uncrossed Knitting".

So, give this a try. Of course, if you find this is too much of an advanced technique to master right now then it’s fine to just work the regular pattern, but if you’d like to try a new and improved technique then give it a try! See which method you like better and which gives you the best result.

Length of panel

So, using whichever method you prefer, continue working this central openwork panel until the bag measures the length you want it to be minus the height for the top band. As I mentioned before, I am just going to work a narrow top band as I want a nice long openwork section for my bag, but you decide how long you want this to be for your version.

Then next time, I’ll be back to discuss the various options you have for the bag handles.

Happy Knitting!

Moira

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