decreases

sassysadieo · 10-10-2010, 01:49 PM

I am using 84 stitches to knit a hat and now I want to close the top. I am wondering how to determine number of stitches to knit be for decreasing to close the top. Is there a formula to use to determine this no matter the number of stitches?

Thanks,
Sassy

suzeeq · 10-10-2010, 08:07 PM

Use a number that's divisible by 2 numbers and 84 works - it's divisible by both 12 and 7. You can k10, k2tog 7 times around, or k5, k2tog 12 times around. The 7 times decs will probably work out to a better shaping. So the first dec round will be k10, k2tog, then knit a round. Next round k9, k2tog all the way around, and knit one round. Keep on knitting 1 less st between decs every other round until you're down to about k3 between them. Then dec on every round until you have done decs with just 1k st between them. Then pull the tail through the remaining sts (should be 14 I think) like a drawstring and weave it in.

sassysadieo · 10-10-2010, 10:04 PM

Thank you for your help! I am not sure how you arrived at the number of stitches to knit between each decrease. I divide by 2and arrived at 7 and 12, but to get to k10 and/or k5 isn't clear to me.

sso

suzeeq · 10-11-2010, 01:55 AM

You use up 2 of the sts in the k2tog, so once you figure out what your divisors are (12 and 7 here) you decide how many decs you want (6 to 8 is usual) then divide the decs into the total number and subtract 2. 84 divided by 7 is 12, minus 2 is k10 between the decs to start. Then every dec round you've got one less st between the decs so you subtract 1 from the number between the decs on the previous round.

sassysadieo · 10-15-2010, 03:45 PM

Thanks, It all makes sense.