Knitting Abbreviations

A

alt – alternate

approx – approximately

B

beg – begin, beginning

bet – between

bk2tog – brioche knit 2 together; knit next knit stitch together with its paired yarnover

bk3tog – right-slanting brioche decrease

bp2tog – brioche purl 2 together; purl next purl stitch together with its paired yarnover

bsk2p – left-slanting brioche decrease

C

cable – a decorative stitch that looks like a twisted rope or braid

CC – contrast color

cco – cable cast on

cm – centimeter(s)

cn – cable needle

CO – cast on

cont – continue

D

dec – decrease, decreases, decreasing

dpn – double pointed needles

F

fl – front loop(s)

foll – follow, follows, following

G

g – gram(s)

I

inc – increase, increases, increasing

K

k or K – knit (Video Tutorial)

k1b – knit 1 below

k1fb – knit one front and back; a single-stitch increase (Video Tutorial)

k2tog – knit 2 stitches together; a right-slanting, single-stitch decrease (Video Tutorial)

kitchener stitch – method of grafting lives stitches together

kwise – knitwise

L

LH – left hand

lp(s) – loop(s) (Video Tutorial)

M

m – meter(s)

M1 – make 1 stitch

m1L – make 1 left; left-slanting, single-stitch increase

m1R – make 1 right; right-slanting, single-stitch increase

M1 p-st – make 1 purl stitch

MC – main color

mm – millimeter(s)

O

oz – ounce(s)

P

p or P – purl (Video Tutorial)

p tbl – purl through the back loop

p1b – purl 1 below

p2tog – purl 2 stitches together; a single-stitch decrease

p2tog tbl – purl 2 stitches together through the back loops; also known a ssp; a one-stitch decrease

pat(s) or patt – pattern(s)

pm – place marker

pop – popcorn

prev – previous

psso – pass slipped stitch over

pwise – purlwise

R

rem – remain, remaining

rep(s) – repeat(s)

rev St st – reverse stockinette stitch

RH – right hand

Rib – Knit1, Purl 1 (Video Tutorial)

rnd(s) – round(s)

RS – right side

S

s2kp – slip 2 together knitwise, k1, pass slipped stitches over (psso); a centered two-stitch decrease

sk – skip

sk2p – slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slip stitch over (psso), then knit 2 together; a two-stitch decrease

skp – slip, knit, pass stitch over; a single-stitch decrease

sl – slip

sl st – slip stitch(es)

sl1k – slip 1 knitwise

sl1p – slip 1 purlwise

sl1, k1, ppso – slip one, knit one, pass slipped stitch over; a single-stitch decrease

ssk – slip, slip, knit these 2 stitches together; a left-slanting, single-stitch decrease

ssp – slip, slip, purl; one-stitch decrease; also known as p2tog tbl

sssk – slip, slip, slip, knit these 3 stitches together; a left-slanting, two-stitch decrease

st(s) – stitch(es)

St st – stockinette stitch, stocking stitch (Video Tutorial)

T

tbl – through back loop

tog – together

W

WS – wrong side

wyib – with yarn in back

wyif – with yarn in front

Y

yd(s) – yard(s)

yf or yfwd – yarn forward

yo – yarn over

yrn – yarn around needle

yon – yarn over needle

Here is an easy to print out PDF download of the knitting abbreviations and terms.