This past week has been a blur!
I’m 11 days away from my wedding and right smack in the middle of my last semester of college — I’ve been extremely busy!
This past Sunday, I went to the second official Crafty Day — a day filled with fun, fibery goodness — over at Cid’s. Crafty Day turned into OMG Olympic Gold Medal Hockey Game Day for a few hours, which was quite hilarious. Half of the girls were/are die-hard hockey fans, and the rest of us…
…we just sort of yelled at the TV when every one else did. lol
Anyway, during Crafty Day (which is held once a month), a few of the girls had me teach them to read knitting patterns.
For those of you who are relatively new to knitting, as these lovely ladies are, reading knitting patterns is one of those things that is truly easier than it sounds. Once you learn a handful of abbreviations (and some are very self-explanitory), you can figure out just about any pattern.
Most patterns, too, have an index if an abbreviation being used is not one of the more commonly used ones.
Here are the more commonly used abbreviations in knitting patterns:
| 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 |
Feel free to copy/paste this table into a word document (it should copy as-is) and print out a copy to keep in your knitting bag! It’s a hand reference to have in case a pattern doesn’t list what some abbreviations are (most will). I will also include this chart HERE — should you want to bookmark it as a reference.
Of course, if you ever get stuck on what an abbreviation is (or you know what it stands for but not the technique), you can always find helpful, friendly knitters via Twitter.
I have not forgotten about the giveaway. I have the goodies for it, I just need to take pictures of said goodies. I’m really hoping I can do this on Wednesday (I’m in school Tuesdays from 9:00am – 5:00 pm, and Tuesdays is LOST night.) — if it’s not up by Thursday, send me semi-angry-but-still-loving-reminder-tweets. ^_~
