A sortable and searchable table of abbreviations used by hand knitters.
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|---|
| alt | alternate |
| approx | approximately |
| beg | beginning |
| bet | between |
| BO | bind off |
| byo | backward yarn over |
| CC | contrasting color |
| cn | cable needle |
| cont | continue |
| dec | decrease |
| dpn | double-pointed needles |
| foll | follow |
| inc | increase |
| k | knit |
| k1B | knit stitch in row below |
| k1tbl or k1 tb | Knit 1 Through Back Loop. Also called the twisted knit stitch. This will make a “y” looking stitch instead of a flatter “v”. The knitting is twisted and more stretchy. |
| k2tog | knit 2 stitches together; single right-leaning decrease |
| K3tog | right-slanting double decrease Knit three together. It involves knitting three stitches together as though they were one stitch. Completing a k3tog creates a double decrease in your knitting because where once there were three stitches; there is now only one stitch. This decrease slants to the right. To work a k3tog, insert your right needle through 3 stitches at once from left to right and complete the knit stitch as usual. |
| kfb | knit 1 into front and back of a stitch; single knit increase |
| ksp | knit 1 stitch, slip this stitch from right needle to left needle, pass second stitch on left needle over first stitch and off left needle; return stitch to right needle; single right-leaning decrease |
| kwise | knitwise |
| LH | left hand |
| lp | loop |
| m | marker |
| M1 | make one stitch knitwise; single knit increase |
| M1K | make one stitch knitwise; single knit increase |
| M1L | make one left; single left-leaning knit increase |
| M1lp | make one left purlwise; single left-leaning purl increase |
| M1R | make one right; single right-leaning knit increase |
| M1rp | make one stitch purlwise; single right-leaning increase |
| MC | main color |
| p | purl |
| p2sso | pass 2 slipped stitches over |
| p2tog | purl 2 stitches together; single decrease |
| pat | pattern |
| patt | pattern |
| pfb | purl 1 into front and back of a stitch; single purl increase |
| pm | place marker |
| prev | previous |
| psso | pass slipped stitch over |
| pwise | purlwise |
| rem | remaining |
| rep | repeat |
| rev St st | reverse stockinette stitch |
| RH | right hand |
| rnd | round |
| RS | right side |
| S1KP2 | slip 2 stitches as if to knit 2 together, knit 1, pass 2 slipped stitches over knit stitch; centered double decrease |
| SK2P | slip 1 knitwise, knit 2 together, pass slip stitch over knit 2 together; double left-leaning decrease |
| SKP | slip 1 knitwise, knit 1, pass slip stitch over knit stitch; single left-leaning decrease |
| sl | slip |
| sl1, k2tog, psso (or SK2P) | left-slanting double decrease Slip one, knit two together, pass one over. Slip one stitch as if to knit. Insert right needle through 2 stitches at once from left to right and complete knit stitch as usual. Pass your slipped stitch over the single stitch left after knitting the two stitches together. This creates a left-slanting double decrease, decreasing from three stitches to one stitch. |
| sl1k | slip 1 knitwise |
| sl1p | slip 1 purlwise |
| sl2, k1, p2sso (or S2KP2) | centered double decrease Slip two, knit one, pass two over. Slip two stitches together as if to knit, knit one stitch, then pass the two slipped stitches over the stitch you just knit. This results in a centered double decrease. |
| sl st | slip stitch |
| sm | slip marker |
| ssk | slip 2 stitches knitwise, knit these 2 stitches together through back loops; single left-leaning decrease |
| ssp | slip 2 stitches knitwise, return these 2 stitches to left needle and purl them together through back loops; single left-leaning decrease |
| SSPP2 | slip 2 stitches knitwise, return these 2 stitches to left needle and then slip them as if to p2tog through back loops, purl 1, pass 2 slipped stitches over purl stitch; centered double decrease |
| sssk | slip 3 stitches knitwise, knit these 3 stitches together through back loops; double left-leaning decrease |
| sssp | slip 3 stitches knitwise, return these 3 stitches to left needle and purl these 3 stitches together through back loops; double left-leaning decrease |
| st | stitch |
| St st | stockinette stitch |
| tbl | through back loop |
| tfl | through front loop |
| tog | together |
| w&t | wrap and turn |
| WS | wrong side |
| wyib | with yarn in back |
| wyif | with yarn in front |
| yb | yarn back |
| yf | yarn forward |
| yfwd | yarn forward |
| yo | yarn over |
| yon | yarn over needle |
| yrn | yarn round needle |
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