Working a Purled Double Decrease (Sspp2) on the Right Side

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The Selcouth Hat from Interweave Knits Summer 2021 turns a traditional lace leaf pattern inside-out so that the purl side of each leaf is visible on the right side of the work. We’ll walk you through the simple-to-work but specific decrease used, sspp2, to make the decreases at the center of each leaf nearly invisible.

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Featured above: Sspp2 decreases are used on the right side of the lace leaf pattern in the Selcouth Hat by Sarah Dawn.

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In many knitted leaf patterns, the midribs of the leaves are represented by single vertical columns of knit stitches flanked by several pairs of yarnover increases. To keep the stitch count consistent, each pair of yarnovers must be matched with either two single decreases or one double decrease.

Sometimes, the decreases are obvious, such as when centered double decreases (sl 2-k1- pass 2 sl sts over, or “s2kp2” for short) are used to form the vertical midribs of the leaves. If the pattern requires that decreases be worked on both right-side and wrong-side rows, purled double decreases (sl 2-p1-pass 2 sl sts over, or “sspp2” for short) will be used
because the effect on the right side of the work is exactly the same with both decreases.

When a s2kp2 is worked on the right side over three stitches, the second stitch remains vertical, while the first and third stitches overlap behind the second stitch. When a sspp2 decrease is worked on the wrong side over three stitches, the second stitch remains vertical while the first and third stitches overlap in front of the second stitch.

With the Selcouth Hat, sspp2 decreases are worked on the right side in the reverse stockinette area of each leaf, which makes the decreases nearly invisible. So, even while the sspp2 is generally considered to be a centered double decrease, in this case the center stitch isn’t prominent.

Working Sspp2: a centered double decrease worked on the purl side

Step 1

Slip two stitches knitwise, one at a time, to the right needle.

Step 2

Return the two stitches to the left needle in their new orientation, then with the yarn in front, insert the right needle from left to right into the backs of these two stitches as if to purl two together through the back loop and slip them to the right needle.

Step 3

Purl the next stitch on the left needle.

Step 4

Insert the left needle into the two slipped stitches on the right needle and pass them over the purl stitch.

The Result

Here is the completed decrease as it was worked on the purl side:

And here is the purled decrease as it appears on the knit side:

The sspp2 decrease is just one of the fun techniques you’ll learn in Interweave Knits Summer 2021. Inside, you’ll also learn about twisted stitches, knitting shorts, and fitting a lace project to an existing glass jar. Plus, there are so many fun summer patterns to try out your new skills. Get the issue today, and subscribe so you never miss an issue of Interweave Knits!

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