KNITOPAEDIA (The Language of Knitting)
For Example: Just click on the letter “P” below to link you to the “P” area of the knitopaedia to find out what purl means and then look for purl under the “P”s.
A–B–C–D–E–F–G–H–I–J–K–L–M–N–O–P–Q–R–S–T–U–V–W–X–Y–Z
Knitopaedia is a free online dictionary for words, phrases and abbreviations that are related to the fine art of knitting. Knitopaedia attempts to provide “knitting” definitions in simple, easy to understand language, avoiding complicated wording when possible so that the web site page is easily understood and accessible to users with a wide range of knitting knowledge and skill. A full-time experienced editor gathers information from her own personal experience and library, leading trade publications, accredited arts institutions, professional online needle arts publications, related white papers and other professionals working in the field. More extensive information than was included in the definition may be included by a link to our archives or another source where a greater depth of instruction may be warranted. Multiple sources will be used to generate a definition in order to obtain as accurate a definition or explanation of a terminology as is possible. The definitions on Knitopaedia may evolve and change being updated to reflect changing trends in the art. New knitting terms are added on a daily basis, as a result of our own research or from the suggestion of a reader. Knitting abbreviations and terms can vary from author to author and from country to country. Knitting instructions are usually done in abbreviations. The terminology following is an aid to knitters. Interpretation is the responsibility of the reader.
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A
alt: Abbreviation for -alternate, alternately
approx: Abbreviation for- approximately
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B
b: Abbreviation for -back
BC: Abbreviation for- back cross
beg, beg’g: Abbreviation for – begin, beginning
B.O. or BO: Abbreviation for- bind off
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C
CC: Abbreviation for -contrast colour
ch: Abbreviation for -chain
cm: Abbreviation for -centimeter(s)
cn: Abbreviation for -cable needle
C.O. or CO: Abbreviation for- cast on
cont: Abbreviation for- continue, continuing
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D
dec(s)(ing): Abbreviation for- decrease(s) (ing)
dec L: Abbreviation for-decrease left
dec R: Abbreviation for- decrease right
dpn or d.p. or dp: Abbreviation for- double-pointed needle(s)
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E
est: Abbreviation for- established
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F
FC.: Abbreviation for- front cross
foll or foll’g: Abbreviation for- follow, following
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G
g: Abbreviation for-gram(s)
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H
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I
inc(s)(ing): Abbreviation for– increase(s)(ing)
in(s): Abbreviation for- inch(es)
incl: Abbreviation for- inclusive
inc L: Abbreviation for- increase to the left
inc R: Abbreviation for- increase to the right
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J
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K
K or k: Abbreviation for- knit
kb: Abbreviation for- knit into the back of the stitch
kf&b or kfb: Abbreviation for -knit into front and back of st (increase)
k2tog: Abbreviation for -knit 2 sts tog (decrease)
k3tog: Abbreviation for -knit 3sts tog (decrease)
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L
LH: Abbreviation for-left hand or left-hand needle
M
M: Abbreviation for -marker
m: Abbreviation for- make
m: Abbreviation for -metre(s)
mm: Abbreviation for -millimeter(s)
M 1: Abbreviation for- make one stitch Make one stitch by picking up the horizontal loop lying before the next st and work into the back of it.
M C: Abbreviation for- main colour
Meas: Abbreviation for- measures
N
No: Abbreviation for -number
O
o or yo: Abbreviation for- yarn over
oz: Abbreviation for- ounce(s)
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P
P: Abbreviation for- purl
p2tog: Abbreviation for -purl 2 stitches together (decrease)
patt or pat: Abbreviation for- pattern
Pb: Abbreviation for-purl into the back of stitch
pfb: Abbreviation for -purl into the front and the back of the stitch (increase)
pm: Abbreviation for -place marker here
pnso or p.n.s.o.: Abbreviation for- pass or pull next stitch over
psso or p.s.s.o.: Abbreviation for- pass slip stitch over
p2sso: Abbreviation for- pass 2 slip stitches over
p.u.: Abbreviation for- pick up
pu 1: Abbreviation for- pick up one stitch
Q
R
RS(R): Abbreviation for- right side (row)
reg: Abbreviation for -regular
rem: Abbreviation for- remain, remaining
rep: Abbreviation for- repeat * or**: Abbreviation for- repeat the directions in the same order following the asterisk * * or ( ): Abbreviation for- repeat directions found between asterisks or parentheses
rev: Abbreviation for-reverse
RH: Abbreviation for- right-hand needle
Ridge: A ridge is made by knitting 2 rows of knit stitch. Work one row across the needle in knitting and one row back in knitting
rnd: Abbreviation for- round
Row: A row is done when you work once across the needle.
S
sep: Abbreviation for- separately
skp: Abbreviation for -slip one stitch, knit the next stitch, pass slipped stitch over the knit st (decrease)
sp: Abbreviation for- single-pointed
sp: Abbreviation for -space
sl or s: Abbreviation for- slip
Slip a stitch: This indicates that a stitch is slipped from the left-hand needle to the right-hand needle
To slip a stitch knitwise (sl 1 knitwise)
Insert the right-hand needle into the front of the next stitch on the left-hand needle from left to right, then slip the stitch from the left-hand needle onto the right-hand needle without knitting it.
To slip a stitch purlwise (sl 1 purlwise)
Insert the right-hand needle into the front of the next stitch on the left-hand needle from right to left then slip the stitch from the left-hand needle onto the right-hand needle without knitting it.
ssk: Abbreviation for- slip, slip, knit
Slip 2 stitches knitwise one at a time, then slip the left needle through the front of the two stitches and knit both together. (decrease)
sssk: Abbreviation for -Slip 3 stitches knitwise one at a time, then slip the left needle through the front of the 3 stitches and knit them together. (decrease)
st(s): Abbreviation for- stitch(es)
St st: Abbreviation for- stocking stitch or stockinette stitch
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T
tbl: Abbreviation for -through back of loop
tog: Abbreviation for- together
tw: Abbreviation for- twist
U
V
W
w.f.: Abbreviation for -wool forward
WS(R): Abbreviation for- wrong side (row)
wyif: Abbreviation for- with yarn in front
X
Y
Yarn in Front: Bring the yarn from the back of the work to the front between your 2 needles.
yo or o: Abbreviation for- yarn over
yh or wyib: Abbreviation for- yarn to back of work
yf or wyif: Abbreviation for- yarn to front of work