Knitting Abbreviations
Use this key as a reference for new and
unfamiliar abbreviations found in knitting patterns.
[ ] Work
instructions within brackets as many times as directed ( ) Work
instructions within parentheses in the place directed * Repeat
instructions following the asterisk as directed * to ** Repeat
instructions between the * and ** as directed alt alternate approx approximate beg beginning/begin bet between BO bind
off CO cast
on cont continue dec decrease/decreases/decreasing dpn double-pointed
needles foll follow/follows/following g st garter
stitch inc increase/increases/increasing k or K knit k1,p1 knit
1, purl 1 k2tog knit
2 together kwise knitwise LH left-hand m1 make
1 stitch m1 p-st make
1 purl stitch p or P purl p2tog purl
2 stitches together pm place
marker prev previous psso pass
slipped stitch over pwise purlwise rem remain/remaining rep repeat(s) rev St st reverse
stockinette stitch RH
right-hand rnd(s) round(s) RS right
side sk skip skp slip,
knit, pass slipped stitch over-1 stitch decreased sk2p slip
1, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over the knit 2 together -- 2 stitches
decreased sl slip sl1k slip
1 knitwise sl1p slip
1 purlwise sl st slip
stitch ssk slip,
slip, knit these 2 stitches together -- a decrease sssk slip,
slip, slip, knit these 3 stitches together -- a 2-stitch decrease st(s) stitch(es) St st stockinette
stitch tbl through
back loop tog together WS wrong
side wyib with
yarn in back wyif with
yarn in front yfwd yarn
forward yo yarn
over yon yarn
over needle
You are now a knitter! Practice the basic stitches you learned until you feel comfortable with them, and remember to refer back to the instructions if you get confused. Before you know it, you'll be knitting without needing to think about what your hands are doing.
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