Abbreviations Guide to Knitting

All of us can use some help with all the abbreviations we need when using a knitting pattern. I’ve gathered as many of the abbreviations I could find, but let us know if we left one out!

“                                              Inch or inches

 *                                            Repeat instructions following the single asterisk as directed

**                                           Repeat instructions between asterisks as directed

{ }                                            Alternate measurements or instructions

( )                                            Repeat directions as noted or indicated

alt                                           Alternate

approx                                  Approximately

beg                                        Begin or beginning

bet                                         Between

Bk lp                                      Back loop

Blo                                          Back loop only

Bp                                           Back post

BO                                          Bind off

C                                             Cable

CA                                          Color A

CB                                           Color B

CC                                           Contrasting color

cdd                                         Centered double decrease

ch                                           Chain

cl                                             Cluster

cm                                          Centimeter or centimeters

cn                                           cable needle

CO                                          Cast on

cont                                       Continue

COR                                       Carriage on the right

CR                                           Cross Stitches to the right

cross 2 L                               Cross 2 stitches to the left

cross 2 R                               Cross 2 stitches to the right

dc                                           Double crochet

dec                                         Decrease

decs                                       Decreases

DK                                          Double knitting weight yarn

dp                                           Double pointed needles

dpn                                        Double pointed needles

ea                                           Each

EON                                       End of needle

EON                                       Every other needle

EOR                                        End of row

FC                                           Front cross

fl                                             Front Loops

fol                                           Front loop only

foll                                          Follow, follows, following

fwp                                        Forward working position

g                                              Gram

gr                                            Gram

g st                                         Garter stitch

grp                                         Group

grps                                       Groups

hdc                                         Half double crochet

hk                                           Hook

hp                                           Holding position

in                                            Inch

ins                                          Inches

inc                                          Increase

incs                                        Increases

incl                                         Including

k                                              Knit stitch

k tbl                                       Knit stitch through the back loop

K1 tbl                                     Knit stitch through the back loop

K1b                                        Knit stitch through the back loop

k-b                                         Knit stitch in the row below

k-wise                                   knit-wise

k1 f&b                                   Knit 1 stitch in the front, then in the back of the same stitch

kfb                                         Knit 1 stitch in the front, then in the back of the same stitch

k2tog                                     Knit 2 stitches together

k2tog tbl                              Knit 2 stitches together through the back loops

kll                                            Knit left loop

kp                                           Keyplate

krl                                           Knit right loop

LC                                           Left cross

LH                                           Left hand

lp                                            Loop

lps                                          Loops

LT                                            Left twist

M                                            Marker

Ms                                          Markers

m                                            Meter

M1                                         Make 1

M1A                                      Make 1 away

M1F                                       Make 1 front left

M1L                                       Make 1 front left

M1B                                       Make 1 back right

M1R                                       Make 1 back right

M1T                                       Make 1 towards

MB                                         Make bobble

mc                                          Main Color

mm                                        millimeters

no                                           Number

NWP                                      Non-working position

oz                                           Ounce or ounces

p                                             Purl stitch

p tble                                    Purl stitch through the back loop

P1b                                        Purl stitch through the back loop

P1 tble                                  Purl stitch through the back loop

p-b                                         Purl stitch in the row below

p-wise                                  Purl wise

pfb                                         Purl the front of the stitch, then purl the back of the same stitch

p1 f&b                                  Purl the front of the stitch, then purl the back of the same stitch

p2tog                                    Purl 2 together

p2tog tble                           Purl 2 together through the back loops

pat                                         Pattern

patt                                        Pattern

pats                                       Patterns

patts                                      Patterns

pm                                         Place marker

pnso                                      Pass next stitch over

pop                                        Popcorn stitch

prev                                       Previous

psso                                       Pass the slipped stitch over

pu                                           Pick up stitches

RC                                           Right Cross

rem                                        Remaining

rep                                         Repeat

reps                                       Repeats

Rev ST st                              Reverse stockinette or stocking stitch

RH                                          Right hand

rib                                           Ribbing

rnd                                         Round

rnds                                       Rounds

RS                                           Right side

RT                                           Right twist

sc                                            Single crochet

sk                                            Skip

sk2p                                       Slip 1 Knit 2 tog or pass slipped stitch over

SKP                                        Slip, knit, pass

skpo                                      Slip, knit, pass

 s                                             Slip a stitch

sl                                             Slip a stitch

sl st                                        Slip stitch or Slip stitches

sl1, k1, psso                        Slip 1, knit 1, pass the slipped stitch over

sl1k                                        Slip a stitch knit-wise

sl 1 k-wise                           Slip a stitch knit-wise

sl1p                                        Slip a stitch purl-wise

1sl 1 p-wise                         Slip a stitch purl-wise

sp                                           Space

sps                                         Spaces

ssk                                          Slip, slip, knit slipped stitches tog

ssp                                         Slip, slip, purl

sssk                                        Slip, slip, slip, knit 3 slipped stitches together

st                                            Stitch

sts                                          Stitches

St st                                       Stockinette or stocking stitch

tble                                        Through the back loop

tog                                         Together

won                                       Wool over needle

wp                                          Working position

wrn                                        Wool round needle

WS                                         Wrong side

wy                                          Waste yarn

wyib                                      With yarn in back

wyif                                       With yarn in front

yb                                           Yarn to the back

ybk                                         Yarn to the back

yd                                           Yard

yds                                         Yards

yfon                                       Yarn forward and over needle

yfrn                                        Yarn forward and round needle

yf                                            Yarn forward

yfwd                                      Yarn forward

yo                                           Yarn over needle

yo2                                         Yarn over twice

yon                                        Yarn over needle

yrn                                         Yarn over needle