In order to describe the instructions of a pattern in a shorter way, we use some abbreviations. In the list below, you will find the most common of these. Since we cannot list every possible abbreviation, always remember to check for any abbreviation provided within each pattern by the designer.
- alternate (alt)
- approximately (approx)
- beginning, begin (beg)
- between (bet)
- bind off (BO)
- cable needle (cn)
- cast on (CO)
- centimeter (cm)
- color A (CA)
- color B (CB)
- continue (cont)
- contrasting color (CC)
- decrease (dec)
- double pointed needls (dpns)
- gram (g)
- increase (inc)
- Knit (k)
- knit 2 stitches together (k2tog)
- knit into front and back of a stitch (kfb)
- knitwise (kwise)
- left hand needle (LH)
- loop (lp)
- main color (MC)
- make one left (m1l)
- make one right (m1r)
- make one stitch knitwise (m1)
- marker (m)
- millimeter (mm)
- pattern (pat)
- place marker (pm)
- previous (prev)
- purl (p)
- purl 2 stitches together (p2tog)
- purl into front and back of a stitch (pfb)
- purlwise (pwise)
- remaining (rem)
- repeat (rep)
- right hand needle (RH)
- right side (RS)
- round (r, rnd)
- row (r)
- selvage stitch (selv. st)
- slip (sl)
- slip 1 knitwise (sl1k)
- slip 1 knitwise, knit 1, pass slip stitch over knit stitch (SKP)
- slip 1 knitwise, knit 2 together, pass slip stitch over knit 2 together (SK2P)
- slip 1 purlwise (sl1p)
- slip 2 stitches as if to knit 2 together, knit 1, pass 2 slipped stitches over knit stitch (S2KP2)
- slip 2 stitches knitwise, knit these 2 stitches together through back loops (ssk)
- slip 2 stitches knitwise, return these 2 stitches to left needle and purl them together through back loops (ssp)
- slip marker (sm)
- stitch (st)
- through back loop (tbl)
- through front loop (tfl)
- with yarn in back (wyib)
- with yarn in front (wyif)
- wrap and turn (w&t)
- wrong side (WS)
- yarn back (yb)
- yarn forward (yf, yfwd)
- yarn over (yo)