Knitting Abbreviations - What Those Letters Mean

Feel a little lost with those knitting abbreviations in your knitting pattern? 

Knitting does seem to have it's own language especially when you're reading through a pattern. You'll see letters muddled together and terms that you may not be sure about.

The good news is I'll help you sort it out

I've created a list of the most common abbreviations and their meanings.


Knitting abbreviations

These are basic knitting abbreviations and as you continue learning to knit these will become much easier to understand. 

There's always going to be new ones popping up so get used to the basic ones, the rest will come later.

You'll find a lot of the basic knitting abbreviations are just short forms of the word itself, for instance 

  • k for knit 
  • p for purl
  • tog for together

And if an abbreviation is two words long it will be a short form of the two words, RH for right hand and you guessed it LH for left hand. 

Most beginner knitting patterns will have simple abbreviations which you'll be able to familiarize yourself with as you work through the pattern. 

And most well written knitting patterns will list the knitting abbreviations used plus an explanation if it's a more complicated stitch.

As you practice and become more familiar with knitting the abbreviations will start making more sense too.

Take a look at the list below. Some have links that you can click on for a little extra help.

Common Knitting Abbreviations

Abbreviation

What it Means

alt

alternate

approx

approximately

beg

beginning

bet

between

BO

bind off or cast off

cn

cable needle

CO

cast on

cont

continue

Cr2BP  =  cross 2 back purl


Cr2FP     =  cross 2 front purl


Slip next stitch onto cable needle, leave in back of work, K1 then P1 from cable needle

Slip next stitch onto cable needle, leave in front of work. P1 then k1 from cable needle

Cr2F       = cross 2 front knit


Cr2B       =  cross 2 back knit


Slip next stitch onto cable needle, leave in front of work, knit 1 then k1 from cable needle

Slip next stitch onto cable needle, leave in back of work, knit 1 then knit 1 from cable needle

dec

decrease

dpn(s)

double pointed needle(s)

foll

following

inc(s)

increase(s)

incl

including

K or k

k2tog

knit two stitches together

kfb or kf&b

knit in the front then in the back of stitch

ktbl

knit through the back loop of stitch

kwise

knitwise

LH

left hand

M1 or m1

make one stitch

P or p

purl

p2tog

purl two stitches together

pat or patt

pattern

pfb

purl into front and then into back of stitch

pm

place marker

prev

previous

psso

pass slipped stitch over

ptbl

purl through back loop

pwise

purlwise

rem

remaining

rep(s)

repeat(s)

RH

right hand

rnd(s)

rounds

RS

right side

SKP

slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over (slip as if to purl)

SK2P

slip 1, k2tog, pass slip stitch over

sl 1 st

slip 1 stitch to right needle without knitting it

sm

slip marker

SSK

slip, slip, knit

st(s)

stitch(es)

St st

Stockinette stitch


T3B = twist 3 back

Twist 3 Back -  slip next st to cable needle and hold at back of work, knit next 2 sts from left hand needle, then purl st from cable needle


T3F = twist 3 front

Twist 3 Front - slip 2 sts onto cable needle and hold in front of work, purl 1 stitch from your left needle, then knit 2 sts from cable needle


T4B *Further explanation below*


Twist 4 back = Slip first 2 stitches to cable needle and hold in back of work. Knit next 2 stitches off left needle, then purl 2 stitches from cable needle.


T4F *Further explanation below*


Twist 4 front = Slip first 2 stitches to cable needle and hold in front of work, then purl next 2 stitches on left needle, then knit 2 stitches off cable needle.

tbl

through back loop

tfl

through front loop

tog

together

WS

wrong side

wyib

with yarn in back of work

wyif

with yarn in front of work

yd(s)

yards

yfrn

yarn forward round needle

yfrn2

yarn forward round needle twice

yfwd

yarn forward

yo

yarn over

**

repeat instructions within ** as required

( ) [ ]

repeat instructions within ( ) and [ ] as required

*Further Explanations For The T4B And T4F*

*T4B = twist 4 back The twist four back is used to cross two knit stitches with two purl stitches. This creates a row of stitches that lean to the right.

*T4F = twist 4 front The twist four front is used to cross two knit stitches with two purl stitches too and it creates stitches that lean to the left.

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Please check out my page of knitting terms to help understand as well. If something isn't here it might be over on my knitting terms page.

Or if you can't find what you're looking for just drop me a line by clicking on the 'Contact Me' button below on the right side and I'll be happy to help.


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