88 Knitting Abbreviations – do you know them all?
Do you know what all the knitting abbreviations mean? Does ANYONE know what all of them mean?
I don’t know. But to help all of us out I have listed all I could think of. And all I could find in my patterns, knitting books and on the internet.
Why are there so many abbreviations in the knitting world?
Well, it’s necessary to shorten all long words and expressions in patterns. Otherwise, our patterns would be long like novels!
It’s a group thing …
And, I guess it’s a bit of a marker for the knitting community as well. Every group has it’s own lingo, it’s a bonding thing. If you know the language you’re in. Newbies have to learn to get the full access.
Luckily the knitting community is a very kind and including one, despite the many shortenings. And we’re eager to share and help our beginners to learn!
Actually, it’s not only abbreviations that’s special for knitting language, there are a lot of funny/strange/unusual words as well. More about that another time.
I put together a list to make things easier
This post is my contribution to the sake of helping newbies and not so new knitters with all the abbreviations. That includes me.
I got tired of searching the web for explanations and decided to gather them in one place. A place I can get back to whenever I need to, and so can you!
Are you ready to dive in? Here they come!
88 Knitting Abbreviations
If you like to print the list of abbreviations please scroll down!
| alt | alternate |
| approx | approximately |
| beg | beginning |
| bet | between |
| bo | bind off |
| byo | backward yarn over |
| cable | put as many stitches as your pattern say on a cable needle and place it in front or back depending on the pattern. Work the next set of stitches and then work stitches off the cable needle. |
| CC | contrasting color |
| ch | chain |
| cm | centimeter |
| cn | cable needle |
| CO | cast on |
| con | continue |
| cross | put as many stitches as your pattern say on a cable needle and place it in front or back depending on the pattern. Work the next set of stitches and then work stitches off the cable needle. |
| dec | decrease |
| dpn | double pointed needles |
| foll | follow |
| g | gram |
| g st | garter stitch |
| in | inches |
| inc | increase |
| incl | including |
| k | knit |
| k1B | knit 1 stitch in row below |
| kfb | knit front and back loop |
| ksp | knit 1 stitch, slip st from right 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 |
| k2tog | knit two stitches together, single right-leaning decrease |
| kwise | knitwise |
| LH | left hand |
| lp | loop |
| m | marker or meter |
| M1 or M1K | make one stitch knitwise, single right-leaning increase |
| M1R | make one right, single right-leaning knit increase |
| M1L | make one left, single left-leaning knit increase |
| M1p | make one purlwise, single purl increase |
| M1rp | make one right purlwise, single right-leaning purl increase |
| M1lp | make one left purlwise, single left-leaning purl increase |
| MC | main color |
| mm | millimeter |
| oz | ounce |
| p | purl |
| pat / patt | pattern |
| pfb | purl 1 into front and back of a stitch, single purl increase |
| pm | place marker |
| p2tog | purl 2 stitches together, single decrease |
| prev | previous |
| psso | pass slipped stitch over |
| p2sso | pass 2 slipped stitches over |
| pwise | purlwise |
| rem | remaning |
| rep | repeat |
| rev St st | reverse stockinette stitch |
| RH | right hand |
| rnd | round |
| RS | right side |
| SKP | slip one knitwise, knit one, pass slip stitch over knit stitch, single left-leaning decrease |
| SK2P | slip one knitwise, knit 2 together, pass slip stitch over knit 2 together, double left-leaning decrease |
| sl | slip |
| sl1k | slip one knitwise |
| sl1p | slip one purlwise |
| sl st / ss | slip stitch |
| sm | slip marker |
| ssk | slip, slip, knit (slip 2 stitches knitwise, knit these 2 stitches together through back loops), single left-leaning decrease |
| ssp | slip, slip, purl (slip 2 stitches knitwise, return these 2 stitches to left needle and purl them together through back loops), single left-leaning 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 |
| S2KP2 | slip 2 stitches as if to knit 2 together, knit 1, pass 2 slipped stitches over knit stitch, centered double decrease |
| 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 |
| st | stitch |
| St st | stockinette stitch |
| tbl | through back loop |
| tfl | through front loop |
| tog | together |
| WS | wrong side |
| w&t | wrap and turn |
| wyib | with yarn in back |
| wyif | with yarn in front |
| yb | yarn back |
| yd | yard |
| yfwd / yf | yarn forward |
| yo | yarn over |
| yon | yarn over needle |
| yrn | yarn round needle |
| * | repeat the instructions following the * as directed |
| ** | repeat instructions between * and *as many times as directed or repeat at specified locations |
| { } | work instructions within brackets as many times as directed |
| [ ] | work instructions within brackets as many times as directed |
| () | work instructions within parentheses as many times as directed or work a group of stitches all in the same stitch or space |
Do you want to print this cheat sheet?
Other posts you may like!
⭐️ Here is a post all about knitting needle sizes, it’s impossible to know them all. The included conversion chart is crazy useful, be sure to check it out!
⭐️ Don’t miss this post about knitting project planning, it’s packed with helpful tips and some free knitting journal pages!
⭐️ This post is all about the Yarn Weights, have a good read and get the free chart that comes along with it.
⭐️ The Freebie page. This one kind of describes itself, here you can find every freebie that I have ever shared.
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