Knitting Abbreviations
Knitting patterns have their own vocabulary of stitches and abbreviations. The good news is, many of them are combinations of a few basic ones.
Most patterns will include a list of the abbreviations that are used in that pattern, but some don’t. If you ever get stuck, here is a list of commonly used knitting abbreviations. I may add to this list as I think of (or use) others.
Basic Stitches
| Abbreviation | Description |
| k | knit |
| p | purl |
| sl | slip |
| CO | cast on |
| BO | bind off |
Increases & Decreases
| Abbreviation | Description |
| dec | decrease |
| inc | increase |
| tog | together |
| kfb | knit front and back |
| pfb | purl front and back |
| m1 | make 1. May be followed by “r” or “l” for make 1 right or make 1 left. |
| yo | yarn over |
| k2tog | knit 2 stitches together |
| [st] [number] tog | Work the indicated stitch over the indicated number of stitches together. (For example, p3tog = purl 3 stitches together). |
| ssk | slip, slip, knit |
| ssp | slip, slip, purl |
| psso | pass slipped stitch over |
| p [number] sso | pass indicated number of slipped stitches over |
Other Abbreviations
| Abbreviation | Description |
| alt | alternate |
| beg | beginning |
| bet | between |
| rem | remaining |
| rnd | round |
| MC | main color |
| AC | accent color |
| RS | right side |
| WS | wrong side |
| kwise | knitwise |
| pwise | purlwise |
| tbl | through back loop |
| tfl | through front loop |
| lp | loop |
| pm | place marker |
| sm | slip marker |
| st(s) | stitch(es) |
| w&t | wrap and turn |
| wyib | with yarn in back |
| wyif | with yarn in front |
| yb | yarn back |
| yf | yarn forward |
