A knitting pattern is like a recipe. It gives instructions on how to knit with your knitting needles. A pattern designer makes a project and writes down the instructions for other knitters to follow and make similar projects. The set of knitting instructions becomes too complicated if written in sentences so to make it simpler to understand knitting abbreviations are used. The standard abbreviations are used for most knitting patterns but if there is something the pattern designer will write the instructions clearly.
Besides the steps of knitting, a pattern designer will have a separate section on knitting needles, yarn, and gauge. Try to follow the same tools as the pattern instructor. If a pattern has been designed for double-pointed knitting needles it can be translated to circular knitting needles. But, then you must be confident with knitting in the round. With a gauge swatch as a guide make your own sample.
If you are just starting with knitting, the abbreviations may seem like a foreign language but soon enough when you make some projects you will catch up.
Why do we use knitting abbreviations?
Knitting patterns use abbreviations for two main reasons. To explain instructions clearly in brief. For example instead of – “Knit one, then purl one, then knit another one and purl another one, and continue this until you run out of stitches”, the abbreviated form would be: “*K1, P1; rep from * to end of row.” The entire sentence would be difficult to follow at a glance and takes up a lot of space on the page while the abbreviations would be simpler, shorter, and much clearer.
When you are just starting out with knitting, these abbreviations would be overwhelming so it’s best to have a handy chart for use. It is always recommended to make your own notes for knitting when you are a beginner. Writing your own notes will help you get adept at the craft. With time you will get fluent with knitting terms.
Here’s a standard chart compiled by the Craft Yarn Council.
| Abbreviation | Description | Abbreviation | Description |
| alt | alternate | rem | remaining |
| approx | approximately | rep | repeat |
| beg | beginning | rev St st | reverse stockinette stitch |
| bet | between | RH | right hand |
| BO | bind off | rnd | round |
| byo | backward yarn over | RS | right side |
| CC | contrasting color | SKP | slip 1 knitwise, knit 1, pass slip stitch over knit stitch; single left-leaning decrease |
| cn | cable needle | SK2P | slip 1 knitwise, knit 2 together, pass slip stitch over knit 2 together; double left-leaning decrease |
| CO | cast on | sl | slip |
| cont | continue | sl1k | slip 1 knitwise |
| dec | decrease | sl1p | slip 1 purlwise |
| DPN | double-pointed needles | sl st | slip stitch |
| FO | finished project, after weaving in the ends | sm | slip marker |
| foll | follow | ssk | slip 2 stitches knitwise, knit these 2 stitches together through back loops; single left-leaning decrease |
| frogging | Ripping out your stitches when you’ve made a mistake. | ssp | slip 2 stitches knitwise, return these 2 stitches to left needle and purl them together through back loops; single left-leaning decrease |
| HOTN | hot off the needles | sss | second sock syndrome, where the seconda pair of socks takes longer time or is not fun to knit. |
| inc | increase | sssk | slip 3 stitches knitwise, knit these 3 stitches together through back loops; double left-leaning decrease |
| k | knit | 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 |
| KAL | knit-along generally for charity | S2KP2 | slip 2 stitches as if to knit 2 together, knit 1, pass 2 slipped stitches over knit stitch; centered double decrease |
| k1B | knit stitch in row below | 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; centered double decrease |
| kfb | knit 1 into front and back of a stitch; single knit increase | st | stitch |
| ksp | 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 | STN | single pointed knitting needles |
| k2tog | knit 2 stitches together; single right-leaning decrease | stash | A knitter’s collection of yarn, including leftovers from other projects. |
| kwise | knitwise | St st | stockinette stitch |
| LH | left hand | TAAT | two at a time |
| lp | loop | tbl | through back loop |
| LYS | local yarn shop | tfl | through front loop |
| m | marker | TINK | unknit stitches to rectify an error in knitting |
| M1 or M1K | make one stitch knitwise; single knit increase | tog | together |
| M1R | make one right; single right-leaning knit increase | UFO | unfinished object, knitting project that is abandoned |
| M1L | make one left; single left-leaning knit increase | WIP | work in progress |
| M1p | make one purlwise; single purl increase | WS | wrong side |
| M1rp | make one right purlwise; single right-leaning purl increase | w&t | wrap and turn |
| M1lp | make one left purlwise; single left-leaning purl increase | wyib | with yarn in back |
| MC | main color | wyif | with yarn in front |
| p | purl | yarn barf | A big lump of yarn that comes out of the center of a new ball or skein of yarn. |
| pat or patt | pattern | yb | yarn back |
| pfb | purl 1 into front and back of a stitch; single purl increase | yfwd or yf | yarn forward |
| pm | place marker | yo | yarn over |
| p2tog | purl 2 stitches together; single decrease | yon | yarn over needle |
| prev | previous | yrn | yarn round needle |
| psso | pass slipped stitch over | * | repeat the instructions following the single asterisk as directed |
| p2sso | pass 2 slipped stitches over | { } or [ ] | work instructions within brackets as many times as directed |
| pwise | purlwise |
With this, you are ready to start any knitting pattern. Remember to read through the pattern completely before you cast on stitches.
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