Another way to k3tog

Have you ever encountered a “k3tog” (knit 3 together) in a knitting pattern and struggled to work it? This double-decrease (meaning you decrease 2 stitches at 1 time) may not be as tough to do with thin yarns on a smaller needle. But with bulkier yarns on larger needles, sometimes people will have a hard time getting that larger needle to comfortably slide into 3 stitches in order to knit them together. If this ever happens to you, I have learned of a solution you can try! But first, let me explain the k3tog…

An example of where you’ll find a k3tog stitch is in my Happy Harvest Poncho and/or Cowl. This piece features an eyelet basketweave stitch called the “Acorn Lace” pattern. And on 3 rows of this stitch pattern you’re instructed to work a k3tog (surrounded by YO’s).

Here is how I work a k3tog in this pattern…

Working a k3tog:

**Step 1:** Insert right needle knitwise into next 3 stitches on left needle (note: my working yarn is held in the front because in this pattern you work a “YO” before the k3tog).

**Step 2:** Wrap the working yarn around the right needle (just like you would do when knitting any stitch).

**Step 3:** Then bring the loop through the 3 stitches (just like you would do when knitting any stitch)

But if working a k3tog is too cumbersome, here is the alternative! It’s like a combination of working both a k2tog and a ksp. It has more steps to it then a regular k3tog, but it’s worth a try if you struggle with the k3tog…

Working an alternative to k3tog:

**Step 1:** First you’re going to work a k2tog. Insert right needle into knitwise into the next 2 stitches on the left needle, and wrap the working yarn around the right needle (just like you would do when knitting any stitch).

**Step 2:** Then bring the loop through the 2 stitches (just like you would do when knitting any stitch)

**Step 4:** Insert left needle tip into the front of the stitch on the right needle (the stitch that had previously been the k2tog).

**Step 5:** Slip this stitch onto the left needle.

**Step 6:** Insert the right needle tip into the front of the second-stitch-in on the left needle.

**Step 7:** Lift this stitch up and over the last stitch and off of the left needle.

**Step 8:** Then insert the right needle tip into last stitch on the left needle.

**Step 9:** And slip it onto the right needle. Your alternative k3tog is now complete!

Both of these double-decreases are right-leaning and so you really can’t tell the difference between them. In my swatch below I’ve noted which is which – they are pretty identical!

I hope this tutorial helps if you’ve ever struggled with a k3tog, or want to try something different the next time you encounter it in a pattern!

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