What's the difference...

[livn4them]

between k2tog and ssk? Isn't the outcome the same?

Thanks

[vaknitter]

not the same - K2tog will create a right leaning decrease and the SSK will create a left leaning decrease.

[fatoldladyinpjs]

Try them both out on a swatch. Just practice and play around with it. You'll see how they lie. These decreases help to shape an article. Both of these will be used on something like shaping the tops of mittens for instance. Your K2tog will be on the left side of the work and the SSK on the right side. Your mitten top will be rounded and your decreases will look like this:

K2tog //// \\\\ ssk

[livn4them]

Hmmmm......I'm OBVIOUSLY doing something wrong....my k2tog is leaning to the right...

My ssk, isn't at all obvious....leaning towards the left, but not as prominent.

I'm going to have to watch some videos!

Oh wait....my k2tog IS right....my ssk is the issue

[suzeeq]

For the ssk you slip the sts separately, knit wise, then put the L needle into the front of them and knit together.

[Antares]

And if you have trouble remembering which stitch slants which way, here's an easy tip for you: Which way is your right needle pointing after you insert into the loop to do the stitch? When you k2tog, your right needle will be pointing to the right (so the stitch slants to the right), and when you do a ssk, your right needle points to the left (so the stitch will slant to the left).