sk2p — Slip 1, k2tog, pass slipped stitch over (Abbreviation)

sk2p stands for "slip 1, k2tog, pass slipped stitch over" — a double decrease that reduces three stitches down to one in a single combined move, distinct from a single decrease like k2tog or ssk, which each only reduce two stitches to one.

How to work it

Start by slipping one stitch knitwise onto the right needle. Knit the following two stitches together (k2tog). Use the left needle to lift the previously slipped stitch up and over the k2tog stitch just worked, then off the needle — the psso step that gives the abbreviation its final letter.

Which direction the result leans

Because the slipped stitch sits on top of the k2tog stitch after the pass-over, sk2p produces a decrease that leans left overall — useful specifically where a pattern's shaping needs a left-leaning double decrease to match surrounding single decreases or an overall diagonal line of shaping.

sk2p versus CDD

Both sk2p and CDD (centered double decrease) reduce three stitches to one, but they produce visually different results: sk2p leans to one side, while CDD keeps the resulting stitch centered, with no lean in either direction. Patterns choose between the two based on whether the surrounding design wants a directional lean (sk2p) or a neutral, centered point (CDD) — commonly at the very tip of a triangular shawl or the spine of a leaf-lace motif.

Where it shows up

Sk2p is common in lace patterns needing a decisive double decrease at a specific point — the center of a diamond motif, a shawl's spine — and in crown shaping for a hat worked at a faster decrease rate than single decreases alone would achieve.

Related abbreviations

• CDD — centered double decrease, the non-leaning alternative
• psso — the pass-over step sk2p's final letter refers to directly

FAQ

Does sk2p reduce stitch count by one or by two? By two — three stitches become one, a net reduction of two stitches, twice the reduction of a single decrease like k2tog or ssk.

Is sk2p worked the same way regardless of stitch pattern context? The mechanics stay the same, but always slip knitwise for this specific combination — slipping purlwise here would twist the resulting decrease and change its appearance from what most patterns intend.