Knitting Abbreviations

Don't Get Lost in Translation

One of the most frustrating things for beginning knitters is trying to decipher patterns that are filled with abbreviations. It can feel like a code you'll never be able to decipher. But this chart can help: it has all of the standard abbreviations used in knitting patterns, as well as their "translations."

alt	alternate	psso	pass slipped stitch over
beg	begin/beginning	pwise	purlwise
bet	between	rem	remain/remaining
BO	bind off	rep	repeat(s)
CA	color A	rev St st	reverse stockinette stitch
CB	color B	RH	right hand
CC	contrasting color	rnd(s)	round(s)
cm	centimeters	sk	skip
cn	cable needle	skp	slip, knit, pass slipped stitch over
CO	cast on	sk2p	slip one stitch, knit two together, pass slipped stitch over
cont	continue	sl	slip
dec	decrease/decreases/decreasing	sl1k	slip one knitwise
dpn	double-pointed needle(s)	sl1p	slip one purlwise
fl	front loop(s)	sl st	slip stitch(es)
foll	follows/following	ss	slip stitch (in Canadian patterns)
g	gram	ssk	slip, slip, knit those two stitches together
inc	increase	sssk	slip, slip, slip, knit three slipped stitches together
K	knit	st(s)	stitch(es)
k2tog	knit two together	St st	stockinette stitch
kwise	knitwise	tbl	through back loop
LH	left hand	tog	together
lp(s)	loop(s)	WS	wrong side
m	meters	wyib	with yarn in back
M1	make one stitch	wyif	with yarn in front
M1 p-st	make one purl stitch	yds	yards
MC	main color	yfwd	yarn forward (yarn over)
mm	millimeters	yo	yarn over
oz	ounce	yrn	yarn around needle (yarn over)
P (or p)	purl	yon	yarn over needle (yarn over)
pat(s) or patt	pattern(s)	yo	yarn over
pm	place marker	[ ]	work instructions in brackets as many times as directed
pop	popcorn bobble	( )	work instructions in parenthesis as directed (also used to indicate size changes)
p2tog	purl two together	**	repeat instructions after asterisks as directed
prev	previous	*	repeat pattern following asterisk as directed

Source: Yarn Standards