This is the simplest of all the decreases and is used in many different ways. Decreases can be done right across the row in order to gather the fabric into a ruffle. They can be scattered for a softer decrease line and often you will see patterns which place lines of knit 2 together decreases above one another to create a decorative line on the surface of the knitting.

Knit 2 together is worked in exactly the same way as a single knit stitch, except that you put your needle through the two stitches nearest to the point of the left hand needle instead of just one stitch, and treat the two stitches as one stitch when you knit them.

The abbreviation for Knit 2 together is K2tog and in visual style charts it is usually shown as a diagonal line across the square, which points from bottom left to top right. This is because the actual stitch when made also slants from bottom left to top right.

K2tog is used in knitted lace, picot hem borders, decorative edgings and to create surface pattern. It's also used to shape the edges of the worked knitting and is often used as part of a series of paired decreases in raglan and circular yoke shapings. It's great too for making ruffles and shaping bell sleeves and hats.

Although it's a very simple stitch it's one of the most important decreases to learn because it is used more frequently than any other. There are of course many other styles of decreases but they will be covered individually in future articles.