No matter how long you’ve been knitting, simply learning knitting abbreviations can be tricky because they are so extensive, let alone to understand all their meanings. Luckily the majority of patterns use the same universal abbreviations (with brief descriptions of the most common and extra details about the most complex), so once you’re familiar with knitting terms, their meanings can become second nature.
Common Abbreviations
Practically all knitting patterns use abbreviations, but a pattern would turn into a glossary thicker than the yellow pages if they were all listed together in full. To make instructions more concise, the terms are often shortened or referred to as letters.
To minimise confusion, stress and knitting based nightmares we’ve put together a list of common knitting abbreviations with descriptions and meanings.
| Abbreviation | Description |
| alt | alternate |
| approx | approximately |
| beg | beginning |
| C4B | slip the next 2 stitches onto the needle, leaving behind work. K2 from cable needle |
| C4F | slip the next 2 stitches onto the needle, leaving at the front of the work. K2 cable needle |
| CL | K2tog stitches on the left-hand needle, then P2tog into stitches. Slip them off the left-hand needle |
| cm | centimeter |
| co | cast on |
| cont | continue |
| dec | decrease |
| dtr | double treble |
| g | grams |
| inc | increase a single stitch by knitting into the front and the back of the very next stitch |
| K | knit |
| K1below | knit 1 row below |
| K1tbl | knit stitch through the back of a loop |
| K2tog | knit a couple of stitches together |
| K2togtbl | knit a couple of stitches together through the back loops |
| K3(4,n)tog | knit 3(4,n) stitches together |
| kfb | increase a single stitch by knitting into front and back of the following stitch |
| M1 | pick up a horizontal loop before the next stitch and neatly knit it into the back |
| M1P | pick up a horizontal loop before the next stitch and neatly purl into the back |
| MB | make bobble |
| mm | millimeters |
| oz | ounces |
| p | purl |
| P2tog | purl a couple of stitches together |
| P3(4,n)tog | purl the next 3 (4,n) stitches together |
| P2togtbl | purl a couple of stitches together through their back loops |
| pat | pattern |
| psso | pass slipped stitch over |
| rem | remaining |
| rep | repeat |
| rnd(s) | rounds |
| RS | right side |
| Sl st | slip stitch |
| Sl1 | slip the next stitch |
| Sl1K | slip the next stitch knitwise |
| Sl1P | slip the next stitch purlwise |
| ssk | slip the next couple of stitches knitwise. Passing them back onto the left needle and knitting through back loops |
| st st | stockinette stitch |
| st(s) | stitches |
| tog | together |
| WS | wrong side |
| yb | bring yarn into the back of the work |
| yf | bring yarn into the front of the work |
| yfwd | yarn forward (1 extra stitch) |
| yo | yarn over the needle (1 extra stitch) |
| yon | yarn over the needle (1 extra stitch) |
| yrn | yarn around the needle (1 extra stitch) |
Popular Symbols
Symbols are sometimes indicated on knitting patterns, meaning that it’s just as important to be aware of them as it is for the above letter abbreviations and terms.
Symbol Description
* repeat instructions following the single asterisk
** repeat instructions between asterisks
{ } work instructions within brackets
[ ] work instructions within brackets
( ) work instructions within parentheses
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