• 0 items$0.00
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Hands Occupied

Contemporary yarn crafts by Heidi Gustad. Knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame.

  • BLOG
    • Knitting
    • Crochet
    • Latch Hook
    • Macramé
  • ABOUT
  • Shop
  • Studio
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Master 4 Double Increases & Decreases

October 26, 2017 3 Comments

Learn 4 knitting increases and decreases using easy-to-follow video tutorials. Up your knitting game & level up your lacework with double increases and decreases, including: incto3, sk2p2, k3tog, & p3tog. Central double increases & decreases might sound intimidating, but they're really pretty & useful in lace knitting.
Double increases and decreases can be intimidating the first time you try them. You’re knitting along, and maybe you’ve even been knitting for years, and suddenly you find yourself thrown for a loop when you come across an abbreviation like sk2p2 or incto3. “What fresh heck is this?” you might ask yourself. “This must be a typo or some regional knitting thing I’ve not yet encountered.” Or maybe that was just my reaction the first time I found myself faced with a central double increase…

At any rate, there are a variety of double increases & decreases in knitting, but today I want to focus on four of them: central double increase (incto3), central double decrease (sk2p2), knit 3 together (k3tog) & purl 3 together (p3tog). Why focus on these 4 in particular? All four of these are included in The Scarf of Dreams, our current Read Along Knit Along Design, specifically the current section of the pattern we’re all knitting.

For some context: On Ravelry, Instagram & in real life, the Read Along Knit Along is underway! Clue 3 of 4 for our mystery pattern arrived in inboxes this week, and we’ll be knitting our way through section 3 of The Scarf of Dreams pattern while we read part 3 of The Night Circus, the book that inspired the infinity scarf we’re knitting. Even if you’re not knitting The Scarf of Dreams with us during the current knit along, this set of tutorials applies to any knitting project featuring these double increases & decreases. 

Learn 4 knitting increases and decreases using easy-to-follow video tutorials. Up your knitting game & level up your lacework with double increases and decreases, including: incto3, sk2p2, k3tog, & p3tog. Central double increases & decreases might sound intimidating, but they're really useful in lace knitting.

4 Double Increases & Decreases for Knitting

I decided to add a whole crop of increase & decrease videos to the Hands Occupied YouTube channel this week, and I’m making sure to keep them easy-to-follow, right to the point, and quick. Most of the time we knitters need remember how to work a stitch we don’t come across every day, we just need a quick refresh – so each of these little tutorials features a demo of each stitch right away, and then I work it one more time so you can see it. Since YouTube is all on-demand, you can be in control of how many times you go back and rewatch how to knit each of these. I hope you all find these useful! These are the first four of many to come, so stay tuned.

Knit 3 Together (k3tog)

Learn how to knit a k3tog decrease with an easy-to-follow video tutorial. Using a knit 3 together, you're working a double decrease, reducing your stitch count by two.
A knit 3 together is probably one of the easiest ways to knit a double decrease. Using a knit 3 together, you’re working a double decrease, reducing your stitch count by two. A k3tog is worked just like a k2tog, except you’re working with three stitches instead of two. Check it out in action:

Purl 3 Together (p3tog)

Learn how to knit a p3tog decrease with an easy-to-follow video tutorial. Using a purl 3 together, you're knitting a double decrease, reducing your stitch count by two.
Much like a k3tog is like a k2tog, a purl 3 together is a lot like a purl 2 together worked with one more stitch. Of course, you’ll often work a p3tog on the wrong side of your work (if it has one).

Central Double Decrease (sk2p2, sl2-k1-p2sso, cdd)

Knitting a central double decrease can be intimidating to learn, but the elegant, symmetrical result is so worth it. Master this stitch with an easy-to-follow video tutorial showing you how to turn three stitches into one, decreasing your stitch count by two.
How pretty is this decrease? Once again, a central double decrease takes us from 3 stitches to 1 in our knitting, but what’s special about this one is the elegant “spine” formed by how the stitches are passed over each other. An alternative to an sk2p2 could be an sk2p (sl1-k2tog-psso), but the resulting stitches lay just a bit differently with an sk2p2.

Central Double Increase (incto3, cdi)

Knitting a central double increase can be intimidating the first time. Eliminate your anxiety with an easy-to-follow video tutorial showing you how to turn one stitch into three, increasing your stitch count by two.
Last but certainly not least, there’s the central double increase, the most complicated of this quartet. As I say in the video, you often find this increase described in just words in knitting patterns, and it’s pretty hard to understand how to work a central double increase based on text alone. Never fear! I’ve got you covered with this quick tutorial.

The yarn featured in these videos is LB Collection® Superwash Merino Yarn in Dijon & was provided by Lion Brand Yarn. 

Filed Under: Knit Along, Knitting Tagged With: central double increase, double decrease, double increase, incto3, k3tog, Knitting, p3tog, ralkal, sk2p2, video tutorial

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is an artist, author and crafts designer specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame. In addition to running the Hands Occupied Blog and Pattern Shop, you can find her making videos & co-hosting the Very Serious Crafts podcast.

Previous Post: « Knitflix for Halloween
Next Post: Picks of the Week »

Reader Interactions

DID YOU LIKE THIS POST?
Visit similar articles...

  • Advanced Intarsia Knitting TipsAdvanced Intarsia Knitting Tips
  • How to Knit Intarsia Without Bobbins or ButterfliesHow to Knit Intarsia Without Bobbins or Butterflies
  • How to Estimate & Manage Yarn Tails in Intarsia KnittingHow to Estimate & Manage Yarn Tails in Intarsia Knitting
  • Intarsia 101Intarsia 101

DON’T MISS ANOTHER UPDATE

Comments

  1. Alka

    October 26, 2017 at 8:36 pm

    Very well explained double increase and all. It is helpful for all knitters. Thanks.

    Reply
  2. Violet

    May 15, 2019 at 2:53 am

    hey thanks for your handy video. My pattern just said Dbl inc. Then describes it as knit stitch through back loop, leave on left needle, knit stitch again through front loop, move two stitches onto right needle, pick up horizontal bump made between these two stitches and lift it onto the left needle, knit into the back loop. I was a bit lost and usually fudged it somehow to make it work but I was always wondering exactly what it meant. Thanks to your clear explanation I can do a perfect hat now.

    Reply
    • Heidi

      May 16, 2019 at 1:48 pm

      Yay! You’re so welcome. :)

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi, an author, yarn craft designer and content creator specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. My work unapologetically features primary colors and vintage-meets-modern style. My first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is now available!

work with heidi

UPDATES BY EMAIL

Get a free pattern + biweekly updates sent to your inbox.

Let’s be friends!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Latch Hook by Heidi Gustad

Footer

INSTAGRAM

handsoccupied

Craft book author & content creator in love with primary colors & vintage vibes. / #latchhookbook out now!
.
knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé

Heidi Gustad 🧶✂️
There’s an update on the blog today, & it’s ab There’s an update on the blog today, & it’s about how I’m going to take the next 2 weeks off to rest & recharge. ☺️🧶 No new content for y’all means I can also take a moment to zoom out & plan what’s next. Link is in bio. 
.
.
A note on Very Serious Crafts: In the post I discuss stepping away from the @seriouscrafts podcast to give myself more time to devote to some minor medical issues. Don’t you worry - my health will be fine, & @molliejohanson @redhandledscissors and I are still pals, and after a short break of their own, the podcast will be back! Just sans moi. 💁🏼‍♀️😆 
.
.
See you in a couple weeks! ✌🏻#handsoccupied #knitdesign #craftdesign #sofadedsweater
Been a little quiet this holiday week, as it shoul Been a little quiet this holiday week, as it should be. ☺️🎄The past few days have been filled with a lot of catching up on festive zoom calls & raising toasts to the camera. 🥂 Connecting with people has been a welcome change of pace! Now I’m feeling ready to meet my inevitable end-of-year deadlines. 😆
.
.
Warmest wishes for the season, my friends! ❤️💛💙
Hi, I’m Heidi, the craft book author & maker beh Hi, I’m Heidi, the craft book author & maker behind Hands Occupied! 👋🏻 I’ve been enjoying making Reels a lot lately, but I wanted to bop in to share a regular photo & say hello. 🤓 
.
.
rather than giving you my bio right now, I have a question. I just got this new sweater & I can’t stop imaging how funny it would be to wear this to a knitting class ... is that bad? 🤣🤣🤣
.
.
Pictured: a blond woman with glasses wearing a sweater that reads “all your sweaters are ugly” standing in front of a Christmas tree.
Wet blocking, also called immersive blocking, is o Wet blocking, also called immersive blocking, is one of the most common methods for finishing a knitting project and helping ensure its final size and shape. Learn basic blocking for absolute beginners in an easy-to-follow (non-Reel!) video tutorial! Catch the tutorial on YouTube or the Hands Occupied Blog, link is in bio. 🧶 #handsoccupied #stopswatchandblockit #KPAmbassadorsDec20 #sponsored
Had to share this perfect capture of one of my fav Had to share this perfect capture of one of my favorite weird homemade Christmas ornaments: a simple macramé Santa face with beads for the eyes and nose! My Great-Grandma made it too. 🎄
.
Might have to try making a quickie Reel tutorial for this guy - I think it’s the perfect project for it, don’t you? 🎅🏼 #handsoccupied #macrame
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2021 / Foodie Pro Theme On Genesis Framework / Branding by Ink + Mortar
All Site & Shop Policies / Privacy Policy / Cookie Policy