Standard 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've learned the basics of knitting -- but there's always room to improve. Keep working on the techniques detailed in this article and your projects will soon have a professional look.
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