Knitting Abbreviations: What Those Letters Means
Knitting patterns may appear to be written in a foreign language to a novice. And they kind of are! The stitches, activities, and procedures you come across when knitting are represented by knitting abbreviations in the majority of designs. Once you know how to read a pattern, this unique shorthand can be highly complicated, but once you do, it’s simple to grasp. How would you C4B following a mark on alternative rows, or b&t on a K rnd? We’ll assist you in doing so!
Why Do We Use Abbreviations In Knitting?
Abbreviations are frequently used in knitting designs for two reasons: clarity and conciseness. Your design may read, “*K1, P1; rep from * until end of row,” rather than, “Knit one, then purl one, then knit another one, and keep doing this until you run out of stitches,” which is hard to grasp at a glance and takes up a lot of space on the page. Shorter, clearer, and simpler.
Patterns would be excessively lengthy and thick, and even seasoned knitters would become perplexed by the lack of uniformity. When you first begin knitting, it might be difficult to run into so many unfamiliar phrases, but don’t worry you’ll pick them up quickly.
Are There Standard Knitting Abbreviations?
The quick response is “no”! Although various pattern writers and even different nations use similar knitting abbreviations, there are no set rules and there are many variants.
There are several common abbreviations that are nonetheless often used in many designs, such as K for knit and P for purl. K2 stands for “knit two stitches,” and is typically followed by a number that indicates how many stitches to work. Additionally, you’ll notice words with similar pronunciations that you could recognize from context (such as “knitwise” and “knitways”).
The majority of patterns either have their own abbreviations on the page or make reference to a list of meanings in another location. Some publications may only use uncommon or pattern-specific abbreviations, referring you to their own standard words for the remainder.
| Knitting abbreviation | Explanation |
| “ | inches |
| () | work instructions between parentheses as many times as directed |
| [] | work instructions between brackets as many times as directed |
| * | repeat instructions from the single asterix as directed |
| ** | repeat instructions until double asterix as directed |
| alt | alternate |
| approx. | approximately |
| beg | begin(ning) |
| bet | between |
| BO | bind off (continental or English) |
| CA | color A |
| CB | color 4 |
| CC | contrasting color |
| cdd | Centered double decrease. sl2 tog, K1, pass the slipped stitches over (together) English or Continental |
| ch | Chain (using crochet hook). Start with a slip knot. |
| cm | centimeters |
| cn | Cable needle: short knitting needle, used as an aid in the twisting of a cable. |
| CO | cast on / off |
| cont | continue |
| cross | 2 L 2 stitches to the left (to work a cable). Slip 2 stitches purl wise onto a cable needle, let cable needle hang in front of work as you knit the next couple of stitches; then knit stitches off of cable needle. |
| cross | 2 R 2 stitches to the right (to work a cable). Slip 2 stitches purl wise onto a cable needle, let cable needle hang in back of work as you knit the next couple of stitches; then knit stitches off of cable needle. |
| dec(s) | decrease(s) |
