Hello Readers…
Knitting Abbreviations or Knitting Terminology, as it suggests; it is a special vocabulary used to understand the short forms or symbols used in the patterns or projects. This helps to ease up the writing and reading and the good news is they are international standards. So ones you get hold of these you can read any pattern from any book or from internet. And these abbreviations are very easy to remember with little bit of practice with attention you will be able to understand the logic used behind them and then knitting becomes very easy…
I am giving the list of knitting abbreviations used by yarn industry, designers and publishers. There are some abbreviations which are most commonly used so I have highlighted those…
Some times designers and publishers use special abbreviations in a pattern, which you might not find on this list. Generally, a definition of special abbreviations is given at the beginning of a book or pattern. You can read any pattern on my blog with following list…. 🙂
| Abbreviation | Description |
| [ ] | work instructions within brackets as many times as directed |
| ( ) | work instructions within parentheses in the place directed |
| * * | repeat instructions following the asterisks as directed |
| * | repeat instructions following the single asterisk as directed |
| “ | inch(es) or sometimes written as ‘in’ |
| alt | alternate |
| approx | approximately |
| beg | begin/ beginning |
| bet | between |
| blw | Below (work into the loop below the next stitch) |
| CC | contrasting color |
| cm | centimeter(s) |
| cn | cable needle |
| dec | decrease/ decreases/ decreasing |
| dpn | double pointed needle(s) |
| gm | gram |
| inc | increase/ increases/ increasing |
| K | knit |
| KP, KPK,etc. | knit-purl, or knit-purl-knit into same stitch as many times as there are letters |
| K2(3)tog | knit 2 (or 3) stitches together |
| K-wise | insert needle as though to knit |
| L | left |
| m | meter(s) |
| M1 | make one stitch |
| M1 p-st | make one purl stitch |
| MC | main color |
| mm | millimeter(s) |
| oz | ounce(s) |
| P | purl |
| pat(s) or patt | pattern(s) |
| pm | slip ring marker or a loop of contrasting yarn on the needle |
| pop | popcorn |
| P2(3)tog | purl 2 (or 3) stitches together |
| prev | previous |
| psso | pass the slipped stitch over |
| P-wise | insert needle as though to purl |
| rem | remain/remaining |
| rep | repeat(s) |
| rev St st | reverse stockinette stitch |
| R | right |
| rnd(s) | round(s) |
| RS | right side |
| sl | slip a stitch, without working it, from the left needle to the right one |
| sl1k | slip 1 knitwise |
| sl1p | slip 1 purlwise |
| sl1k1psso | slip 1 stitch, knit 1 stitch, pass the slipped stitch over the knitted one |
| ssk | slip, slip, knit these 2 stiches together—a decrease |
| sssk | slip, slip, slip, knit 3 stitches together |
| st(s) | stitch(es) |
| St st | stockinette stitch/stocking stitch |
| tbl | through back of loop (enter stitch from the back instead of the front) |
| tog | together |
| WS | wrong side |
| ybk | take yarn to back of work |
| yd(s) | yard(s) |
| yfwd | bring yarn to front of work |
| yo | yarn over |
| yrn | yarn around needle |
| yon | yarn over needle |
Some words frequently used in the writings-
| Words | Description |
| 00,000 | wind yarn around the needle as many times as there are zeros |
| gauge | number of stitches and rows per inch that should be obtained using designated yarn and needles |
| multiple | the number of stitches required to work one motif horizontally in a pattern stitch |
| selvage | a finished edge |
| work even | continue work without increasing or decreasing |
