Knitting Instructions

by Terry Kimbrough

Standard Knitting Abbreviations

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.

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