Common Knitting Abbreviations
There's nothing more frustrating than coming across a knitting abbreviation that is completely alien to you halfway through following a pattern, that's why we've created this handy knitting abbreviations chart; featuring some of the most common abbreviations used in knitting patterns today.
For further help on some of the stitches featured, head over to our YouTube channel where we have lots of tips and tutorials.
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A
| alt | Alternate |
| approx. | Approximately |
B
| beg | Beginning |
| bet | Between |
| BO | Bind off |
| byo | Backward yarn over |
C
| C4B | Slip next 2 stitches onto cable needle and leave at back of work. K2, then K2 from cable needle |
| C4F | Slip next 2 stitches onto cable needle and leave at front of work. K2, then K2 from cable needle |
| CA | Colour A |
| CB | Colour B |
| CC | Contrasting colour |
| cdd | Centred double decrease. sl2 tog, K1, pass the slipped stitches over (together) |
| CL | K2tog. Keep stitches on left-hand needle. P2tog into the same stitches. Slip off left-hand needle |
| cm | Centimetre |
| cn | Cable needed |
| CO | Casting On/Off |
| cont | Continue |
| cross | 2 L 2 stitches to the left/right (to work a cable). Slip 2 stitches purl wise onto a cable needle, let cable needle hang in front of work as you knit the next couple of stitches; then knit stitches off of cable needle. |
| cross 2 L | Cross 2 stitches to the left (to work a cable). Slip 2 stitches p-wise onto a cable needle, let cable needle hang in front of work as you knit the next couple of stitches; then knit stitches off of cable needle. |
| cross 2 R | Cross 2 stitches to the right (to work a cable). slip 2 stitches p-wise onto a cable needle, let cable needle hang in the back of work as you knit the next couple of stitches; then knit stitches off of cable needle. |
D
| dec | Decrease |
| dpn | Double-pointed needles |
| dtr | Double treble |
E
| EON | End of needle |
| EOR | End of row |
F
| FC | Front cross (when working on a cable needle) |
| fl | Front loop |
| foll |
Follow
|
G
| g | Gram(s) |
| g st |
Garter stitch
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I
| inc | Increase |
| inc |
Including
|
K
| K | Knit Stitch |
| k1B | Knit stitch in row below |
| K1below | Knit into next stitch 1 row below |
| K1tbl | Knit next stitch through back of loop |
| K2tog | Knit two together (decrease) |
| K2togtbl | Knit 2 stitches together through back loops |
| K3(4,n)tog | Knit next 3(4, n)stitches together |
| kfb | Knit 1 stitch, slip this stitch from right needle to left needle, pass second stitch on left needle over first stitch and off left needle; return stitch to right needle; single right-leaning decrease |
| krl | Knit right loop (increase) |
| kwise | Knitwise |
L
| LC | Left cross (to work a cable). As in: cross 2 L |
| LH | Left hand |
| LP | Loop |
| LT |
Left twist (where two stitches cross each other, as in the smallest cable stitch possible)
|
M
| m | Marker |
| m | Metre |
| M1 or M1K | Make one stitch knitwise; single knit increase |
| M1L | Make one left; single left-leaning knit increase |
| M1lp | Make one left purlwise; single left-leaning purl increase |
| M1P | Make one purlwise; single purl increase |
| M1R | Make one right; single right-leaning knit increase |
| M1rp | Make one right purlwise; single right-leaning purl increase |
| MB | Make bobble: [(K1. yfwd) 3 times. K1] all in next st. Turn. P7. Turn. Sl1. K1. psso. K3. K2tog. Turn. P2tog. P1. P2togtbl. Turn. Sl1. K2tog. psso - bobble made |
| MC | Main colour |
| mm | Millimetre |
N
| no | Number |
O
| oz | Ounce |
P
| p | Purl Stitch |
| p tbl or P1 tbl, P1b | Purl through the back loop |
| p2sso | Pass 2 slipped stitches over |
| p2tog | Purl 2 stitches together; single decrease |
| P2togtbl | Purl 2 stitches together through back loops |
| P3(4,n)tog | Purl next 3(4,n) stitches together |
| pat or patt | Pattern |
| pfb | Purl 1 into front and back of a stitch; single purl increase |
| pm | Place marker |
| pnso | Pass next stitch over |
| prev | Previous |
| psso | Pass slipped stitches over (as in slip 1, knit 1, psso) |
| pwise | Purlwise |
R
| rem | Remaining |
| rep | Repeat |
| rev St st | Reverse stockinette stitch |
| RH | Right hand |
| rnd | Round |
| RS | Right side |
S
| S2KP2 | Slip 2 stitches as if to knit 2 together, knit 1, pass 2 slipped stitches over knit stitch; centered double decrease |
| sk | Skip |
| SK2P | Slip 1 knitwise, knit 2 together, pass slip stitch over knit 2 together; double left-leaning decrease |
| sk2p | Slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over (a double decrease) |
| SKP | Slip 1 knitwise, knit 1, pass slip stitch over knit stitch; single left-leaning decrease |
| sl | Slip |
| sl st | Slip stitch |
| sl1k | Slip 1 knitwise |
| sl1p | Slip 1 purlwise |
| sm | Slip marker |
| ssk | Slip next 2 stitches knitwise one at a time. Pass them back onto left-hand needle, then knit through back loops together (decrease) |
| ssp | Slip 2 stitches knitwise, return these 2 stitches to left needle and purl them together through back loops; single left-leaning decrease |
| ssp | Slip. Slip, purl (decrease) usually done on purl side |
| SSPP2 | Slip 2 stitches knitwise, return these 2 stitches to left needle and then slip them as if to p2tog through back loops, purl 1, pass 2 slipped stitches over purl stitch; centred double decrease |
| sssk | Slip 3 stitches knitwise, knit these 3 stitches together through back loops; double left-leaning decrease |
| sssp | Slip 3 stitches knitwise, return these 3 stitches to left needle and purl these 3 stitches together through back loops; double left-leaning decrease |
| st | Stitch |
| St(s) | Stitches |
T
| tbl | Through back loop |
| tfl | Through front loop |
| tog | Together |
W
| w&t | Wrap and turn |
| WS | Wrong Side |
| wyib | With yarn in back |
| wyif | With yarn in front |
Y
| yb | Yarn back |
| yd | Yard |
| yfwd or yf | Yarn forward |
| yo | Yarn over |
| yo2 | Yarn over twice |
| yon | Yarn over needle (same as yo - increase) |
| yrn | Yarn round needle (increase) |
Symbols
| " or in | Inch |
| () | Work instructions within parentheses as many times as directed or work a group of stitches all in the same stitch or space |
| (..sts) | The number within the bracket indicates the number of stitches |
| * | Repeat the instructions following the single asterisk as directed |
| ** | Repeat instructions between asterisks as many times as directed or repeat at specified locations |
| […] | Repeat the sequence within the square bracket by the number shown |
| {} | Work instructions within brackets as many times as directed |