When you’re new to knitting, getting to know the abbreviations can be pretty overwhelming and can feel like learning a new language. But don’t worry, we’re here to help! We’ve put together an easy-to-navigate list of common knitting abbreviations to help you along the way in your knitting ventures.
alt – alternate
approx – approximately
beg – beginning
bet – between
C4F – (cable 4 front) slip two stitches to cable needle, hold at front of work, k2, k2 from cable needle
C4B – (cable 4 back) slip two stitches onto cable needle, hold at back of work, k2, k2 from cable needle
ch – chain stitch
ch sp – chain space
circ – circular needles
cn – cable needle
cont – continue
dc – double crochet
dc2tog – (insert hook into next stitch, yarn over hook, pull through loop) twice, yarn over hook, pull through all three loops on hook
dec – decrease by working 2 stitches together – to dec 1 st, insert right needle knitwise or purlwise in 2 stitches on left needle and complete as if knitting/purling 1 stitch
dpn – double pointed needles
dtc – double treble crochet
foll – following
gst – garter stitch – knit every stitch on every row
htc – half treble crochet
inc – increase by working twice in 1 stitch – to inc 1 st, knit/purl in next stitch and without dropping the stitch, work into the back of the stitch again and then drop it
k – knit
kfb – knit into the front and back of the next stitch
k2tog – knit two stitches together
lp – loop
m1 – make one stitch, by picking up the horizontal loop before next stitch and knitting into back of it
m1p – make one stitch, by picking up the horizontal loop before next stitch and purling into back of it
meas – measure
p – purl
pfb – purl into the front and back of next stitch
pm – place marker
p2tog – purl two stitches together
psso – pass slipped stitch over
p2sso – pass two slipped stitches over and off needle
rem – remain
rep – repeat
rev st st – reverse stocking stitch (p on RS row, k on WS row)
rm – remove marker
RS – right side
skpo – slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over
sk2po – slip next stitch purlwise, knit two together, pass slipped stitch over and off needle
sl 2, k1, p2sso – slip next two stitches knitwise at the same time, knit one, pass both slipped stitches over
sl1 – slip one stitch
sl st – slip stitch
ssk – one by one, slip the next two stitches knitwise. Put your left needle through the front loops of both slipped stitches and knit them together
st(s) – stitch(es)
st st – stocking stitch (k on RS row, p on WS row)
tbl – through the back of the loop(s)
tr – treble crochet through the back of the loop(s)
WS – wrong side
wyib – with yarn in back
wyif – with yarn in front
yf – yarn forward – bring the yarn between the needles (back to front)
* – repeat instructions following the asterisk as many times as instructed
[…] – work instructions inside the brackets as many times as instructed
So not many to learn… If you’d like to print a copy of our knitting abbreviations glossary to keep in your wool stash, you can download a free PDF of our list by clicking the button below.