What are Knitting Abbreviations?

Abbreviations in knitting are used to make the pattern easy to read and short enough to fit into a reasonable space on paper.

Abbreviations are used on most knitting patterns to explain the stitch order and method for construction. There isn’t a universally accepted set of knitting abbreviations, so they are explained at the beginning of a knitting pattern to aid the knitting of the item.

An example would be “k2tog” which means knit 2 stitches together. There may be the need to do this hundreds of times in a pattern so abbreviations are used to keep the text short.

Here is a selection of the abbreviations used in the Knitting by Post knitting patterns

k – Knit
p – Purl
inc – Increase by Knitting into the Front and Back of a Stitch
st-st – Stocking stitch. Knit 1 row, then purl 1 row
k2tog – Decrease by Knitting Two Stitches Together
Rib – Knit 1 stitch, purl 1 stitch and repeat

Here is a list of the other general knitting abbreviations in alphabetical order

alt – Alternate or alternating
approx – Approximately
beg – Beginning
bo – Bind off (American term) Cast off (UK)
cc – Contrasting colour
co – Cast on
coff – Cast off
cont – Continue
dec – Decrease or decreasing
dk – Double knitting yarn (yarn thickness not the method)
dpn – Double pointed needles
foll – Follow or following
g st – Garter stitch – knit all rows
lh – Left hand
k1below – knit into next stitch 1 row below
k1tbl – Knit next stitch through back of loop
k2togtbl – Knit 2 stitches together through back loops
kfb – Increase by knitting into front and back of next stitch
kwise – knit wise
m1 – Make 1 stitch by picking up horizontal loop lying before next stitch and knitting into back of loop.
m1P – Make 1 stitch by picking up horizontal loop lying before next stitch and purling into back of loop
mb – Make a bobble
P2tog – Purl two stitches together
pat or patt- Pattern
prev – Previous
psso – Pass slipped stitch over
pwise – Purl wise
rib – Knit a rib pattern, e.g. k1, p1 for the whole row and repeat for several rows
rh – Right hand
rem – Remaining
rep – Repeat
rnd or rnds – Round or rounds
RS – Right side
sk – Skip
sl st – Slip stitch
sl1 – Slip next stitch knitwise
Sl1K – Slip 1 stitch knitwise
Sl1P – Slip 1 stitch purlwise
sl st – Slip a stitch
ssk – Slip next 2 stitches knitwise one at a time. Pass them back onto left-hand needle, then knit through back loops together
st-st – Stockinette stitch or stocking stitch. Knit 1 row then purl 1 row alternately
st or sts – Stitch(es)
tog – Together
WS – Wrong side
w&t – Wrap and turn
yb – Bring yarn to the back of work
yf – Bring yarn to the front of work
yfwd – Yarn forward. Wrap the yarn round the needle as though you were to knit it (add 1 extra stitch)
yo – Yarn over the needle (add 1 extra stitch)
yon – Yarn over needle
yrn – Yarn round needle (add 1 extra stitch)

Cable Knitting Abbreviations

As well as the abbreviations above, there are an additional set of abbreviations for cable knitting.

C4B – Slip next 2 stitches onto cable needle, leave it at the back of work. K2, then knit the first 2 sts from the cable needle
C4F – Slip next 2 stitches onto cable needle, leave it at the front of work. K2, then knit the first 2 sts from the cable needle

Weights and Measures

g – gram or grams
oz – ounce or ounces
mm – millimetre or millimetres
cm – centimetre or centimetres
ins or ” – Inch or inches
yd – Yard

Repeats for Readability

* – Asterisk defines a repeat. For example the instructions may say *k3, p3. Repeat from the * to end. This means to knit 3 and purl 3 and repeat the sequence to the end of the row
( ) – Brackets – Repeat the stitches inside the brackets for the number of times given after the brackets. e.g. (k2tog) 3 times means to repeat the k2tog instruction three times.
{ } – Braces – Same as Brackets above

Have we missed any? Leave us a comment below and we will add them in.