In the August project for Spiraling Diamonds Lace-edged Towel, the Knitted Lace areas of the lace edging stitch pattern necessitate ssp decreases on the Wrong Side rows that will mirror the ssk decreases on Right Side rows.
The ssp decrease will result in a right-leaning decrease that when viewed from the other side of the fabric will look like a left-leaning ssk decrease. Here is a review of the steps:
ssp –
Step 1: slip 1 stitch as if to knit
Step 2: then slip another stitch as if to knit
Step 3: replace these 2 stitches on the left-hand needle in their turned position
Step 4: reach around the backside of these 2 stitches and insert right-hand needle from left to right (this might feel unnatural as you are contorting your hand position opposite from the normal), and purl these 2 stitches together
I know that seems like a lot of steps, but trust me that it becomes easier and faster with practice. I was not able to take photos before I began my travels this month, but I found these to use as reference if you’d also like to see some visuals.
For other examples of Right Side decreases and their corresponding Wrong Side counterparts, see the bit-size tutorial Wrong Side Decreases in Knitted Lace.
HeartStrings FiberArts
Knitting Bits of Lace on Facebook
Ravelry Store
You asked “Do you mean the fabric side facing away?”
Yes.
Per dictionary definition: backside = the rear side or view of a thing
Tami thanks for asking this question even though I’ve never seen an instruction for SSPTBL. Jackie, thanks so much for explaining this so well. Now I’ll be wondering if a person using SSPTBL as an instruction actually knows what you explained. I never realized that ssk was untwisted. I need to pay more attention to reading my knitting.
Jackie,
Can you clarify the difference between SSP and SSPTBL (slip, slip, purl through the back loop)?
The reason for my question is that your instructions step 4 have us working the back of the purl loop; compared to SSP instructions from another source where the stitch is purled using the front ‘leg’.
I have enjoyed your Bits projects and tutorials immensely and have never had confusion since your instructions are so detailed. Thank you for providing lace knitting information.
Step 4 of my instructions for SSP actually has you working through what had been the front loops of the stitches before they were turned. (note that my instructions say nothing about working through back loops as that would be confusing)
If instead on Step 4 you insert needle through the loops from right to left, then you would actually be working through the back loops of the stitches before they were turned. This results in a twisted right-leaning decrease. It’s easier to do, but it does twist the stitches and thus would NOT be exactly equivalent to SSK which is untwisted.
Jackie,
But you do refer to “the backside”. Is this different from back of loop or back loop? Do you mean the fabric side facing away?
“Step 4: reach around the backside of these 2 stitches and insert right-hand needle from left to right ”
(Private reply if you think no one else would benefit … I am looking for a glossary of terms on your website that may help me with the back-differences)