Knitting Abbreviations Explained
Every abbreviation you're likely to meet in a knitting pattern, with a plain-English explanation of what it means and how to work it.
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Decreases
- cddcentered double decrease
- decdecrease
- dec evenlydecrease evenly across
- k2togknit 2 together
- k3togknit 3 together
- kspknit, slip, pass
- p2ssopass 2 slipped stitches over
- p2togpurl 2 together
- p3togpurl 3 together
- pssopass slipped stitch over
- s2kpslip 2 together, knit 1, pass 2 slipped stitches over
- sk2pslip 1, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over
- skpslip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over
- sskslip, slip, knit
- sspslip, slip, purl
- SSPP2centered double purl decrease
- ssskslip, slip, slip, knit
- ssspslip, slip, slip, purl
Increases
- byobackward yarn over
- incincrease
- inc evenlyincrease evenly across
- kfbknit into the front and back
- m1make one
- m1lmake one left
- m1lpmake one left purlwise
- m1pmake one purlwise
- m1rmake one right
- m1rpmake one right purlwise
- pfbpurl into the front and back
- yfwdyarn forward
- yoyarn over
- yonyarn over needle
- yrnyarn round needle
Stitches & Fabrics
Techniques
- 3-needle BOthree-needle bind off
- blockingblocking
- BObind off
- COcast on
- Fair IsleFair Isle
- fasten offfasten off
- floatfloat
- GSRGerman short rows
- I-cordI-cord
- in the roundin the round
- intarsiaintarsia
- joinjoin
- k1Bknit one below
- Kitchener stitchKitchener stitch
- ktblknit through the back loop
- magic loopmagic loop
- pick up and knitpick up and knit
- provisional COprovisional cast on
- ptblpurl through the back loop
- selvageselvage
- short rowsshort rows
- swatchgauge swatch
- tblthrough the back loop
- tflthrough the front loop
- turnturn the work
- w&twrap and turn
- weave in endsweave in ends
- wyibwith yarn in back
- wyifwith yarn in front
- ybyarn back
General Terms
- altalternate
- approxapproximately
- as establishedas established
- AT THE SAME TIMEat the same time
- begbeginning
- betbetween
- CCcontrast color
- circcircular needle
- cncable needle
- contcontinue
- dpndouble-pointed needles
- follfollowing
- gaugegauge
- kknit
- kwiseknitwise
- LHleft-hand
- lploop
- markermarker
- MCmain color
- ndlneedle
- ppurl
- pattpattern
- pmplace marker
- prevprevious
- pwisepurlwise
- remremaining
- reprepeat
- RHright-hand
- rmremove marker
- rndround
- rowrow
- RSright side
- skeinskein
- slslip
- sl1slip 1 stitch
- sl1kslip 1 knitwise
- sl1pslip 1 purlwise
- smslip marker
- ststitch
- togtogether
- work evenwork even
- wpiwraps per inch
- WSwrong side