Knitting Abbreviations Glossary

1×1 rib: k1, p1 ribbing
2×2 rib: k2, p2 ribbing
alt: Alternate
beg: Beginning
CC: Contrast colour
cdd: Centred double decrease – slip 2 stitches knitwise together, knit 1, pass slipped stitches over Click here for our step-by-step guide to cdd
cm: Centimetres
CN Cable needle
C2B: Cable 2 backwards – sl st onto CN, hold in back, k1 from LH needle, k1 from CN. Click here for our step-by-step guide to back cables.
C2F: Cable 2 forwards/front – sl st onto CN, hold in front, k1 from LH needle, k1 from CN. Click here for our step-by-step guide to front cables.
cont: Continue
dec: Decrease
DPN: Double-pointed needle
foll: Following
g: Grammes
G st: Garter stitch. Knitting flat: Knit every row. Knitting in the round: Knit and purl alternate rounds.
i-cord: K all sts on DPN. Without turning, slide sts to other end of needle. Rep until cord reaches desired length. Click here for our step-by-step guide to working i-cord.
in: Inches
inc: Increase
incl: Including
k: Knit. Click here for our step-by-step guide to the knit stitch.
k-wise: Knitwise (as if to knit)
kfb: Knit one through the front then through the back (same stitch)
k2tog: Knit two together. Click here for our step-by-step guide to the k2tog stitch.
LH: Left hand
m1: Make one Click here for our step-by-step guide to the m1 stitch.
mb: Make bobble
MC: Main colour
p: Purl Click here for our step-by-step guide to the purl stitch.
p-wise: Purlwise (as if to purl)
p2tog: Purl two together
patt: Pattern
pm: Place a stitch marker - usually placed onto the RH needle, between the stitch you have just worked and the stitch you're about to work, unless specified otherwise
prev: Previous
psso: Pass slipped stitch over
pu: Pick up
rem: Remaining
rep: Repeat
Rev St st: Reverse stocking stitch. Worked the same as stocking stitch, but knit side is the ‘wrong’ side.
RH: Right hand
rm: Remove marker
rnd: Round
row: Row
RS: Right (as in correct, ouward-facing) side - the opposite of WS, not to be confused with RH
sk: Skip
sk2p: Slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over
SKP: Slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over
sl: Slip stitch – slip p-wise unless specified
sm: Slip marker from LH needle onto RH needle
ssk: This stands for "slip, slip, knit" and is best worked as follows: slip one knitwise, slip one purlwise, knit two slipped stiches together Click here for our step-by-step guide to the ssk stitch.
ssp: Slip one, slip one, purl two slipped stitches together
st: Stitch
St st: Stocking stitch (also known as stockinette stitch). Knitting flat: Alternate knit and purl rows. Knitting in the round: Knit all rounds.
tbl: Through back loop
tog: Together
w&t: Wrap and turn. Slip next stitch onto RH needle, take yarn to opposite side of work between needles, slip same stitch back onto LH needle. Turn work ready to begin working in opposite direction. Click here for our step-by-step guide to w&t short rows.
WS: Wrong side
wyib: With yarn in back
wyif: With yarn in front
yo: Yarn over. Click here for our step-by-step guide to yarn over increases.