Knitting Abbreviations Every Knitter Needs to Know
The most important knitting abbreviations you can't knit without!
There are actually hundreds of knitting abbreviations, but many of them you can live without unless you are a really well experienced knitter. There are some knitting abbreviations, however, that even novice knitters need to know! Here they are:
" - inch(es)
( ) - work instructions within parentheses as written
* - repeat instructions following the single asterisk as written
** - repeat instructions following the asterisks as written
[ ] - work instructions within brackets however many times are written
Alt - alternate
Beg - begin/beginning
Bet - between
BO - bind off
CA - color A (main color)
CB - color B (secondary color)
CC - contrasting color
Cm - centimeter(s)
Cn - cable needle
CO - cast on
Cont - continue
Dec - decrease/decreases/decreasing
Dpn - double pointed needle(s)
foll - follow/follows/following
g - gram -
inc - increase/increases/increasing
k or K - knit
k1, s1, psso knit one, slip one, pass slipped stitch over
k2tog - knit 2 stitches together
k2tog tbl knit 2 stitches together through the back of the loop
kfb - knit into front and back of stitch
kwise - knitwise
LH - left hand
lp(s) - loop(s)
M1 p-st make one purl stitch
M1 - make one stitch
MC - main color
mm - millimeter(s)
oz - ounce(s)
p or P - purl
p2tog - purl 2 stitches together
pat(s) or patt pattern(s)
pfb - purl into front and back of stitch
Pm - place marker
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
sk2p - slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slip stitch over the knit 2 together;
Skp - slip, knit, pass stitch over — one stitch decreased
sl st - slip stitch(es)
Sl - slip
sl1k - slip 1 knitwise
sl1p - slip 1 purlwise
ssk - slip, slip, knit these 2 stiches together—a decrease
sssk - slip, slip, slip, knit 3 stitches together
St st - stockinette stitch/stocking stitch
st(s) - stitch(es)
Tbl - through back loop
tog - together
WS - wrong side
Wyib - with yarn in back
Wyif - with yarn in front
yd(s) - yard(s)
yfwd - yarn forward
yo - yarn over
yon - yarn over needle
yrn - yarn around needle
If you print this knitting abbreviations list out and keep it with your patterns or pattern books, you'll have a ready reference.
