One or more stitches may need to be decreased to shape a project, perhaps 1 stitch at each side of a row for side, armhole, or neck shaping, or multiple stitches on each side for armholes or neck shaping.

Multiple decreases may be needed evenly spaced across a row or may be worked at specific places in the fabric, such as for darts.

See Symbolcraft for symbols and working instructions for knit 2 together (right-slant) and slip, knit, pass (leftslant) decreases.

DECREASING 1 STITCH AT EACH SIDE

METHOD B: The decreases worked with this method aren’t conspicuous, making it suitable for areas where stitches will not be picked up later, such as seaming and grafting.

DECREASING PURL-STITCHES: At the right-hand edge, work a left-slanting purl decrease; at the left-hand edge, work a right-slanting purl decrease.