Standard Knitting Abbreviations

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Use this key as a reference for new and unfamiliar abbreviations found in knitting patterns.

[ ]	Work instructions within brackets as many times as directed
( )	Work instructions within parentheses in the place directed
*	Repeat instructions following the asterisk as directed
* to **	Repeat instructions between the * and ** as directed
alt	alternate
approx	approximate
beg	beginning/begin
bet	between
BO	bind off
CO	cast on
cont	continue
dec	decrease/decreases/decreasing
dpn	double-pointed needles
foll	follow/follows/following
g st	garter stitch
inc	increase/increases/increasing
k or K	knit
k1,p1	knit 1, purl 1
k2tog	knit 2 together
kwise	knitwise
LH	left-hand
m1	make 1 stitch
m1 p-st	make 1 purl stitch
p or P	purl
p2tog	purl 2 stitches together
pm	place marker
prev	previous
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
skp	slip, knit, pass slipped stitch over-1 stitch decreased
sk2p	slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over the knit 2 together -- 2 stitches decreased
sl	slip
sl1k	slip 1 knitwise
sl1p	slip 1 purlwise
sl st	slip stitch
ssk	slip, slip, knit these 2 stitches together -- a decrease
sssk	slip, slip, slip, knit these 3 stitches together -- a 2-stitch decrease
st(s)	stitch(es)
St st	stockinette stitch
tbl	through back loop
tog	together
WS	wrong side
wyib	with yarn in back
wyif	with yarn in front
yfwd	yarn forward
yo	yarn over
yon	yarn over needle

You've learned the basics of knitting -- but there's always room to improve. Keep working on the techniques detailed in this article and your projects will soon have a professional look.

Knitting Instructions

Standard Knitting Abbreviations

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