Master List of Knitting Abbreviations

Do you need a handy cheat sheet of knitting abbreviations? Download this printable master list of knitting abbreviations!

Here are some popular knitting terms: PM – place marker, KFB – knit front back, SM – slip marker, SSK – slip, slip, knit. Scroll down to find the knit stitch abbreviation that you’re looking for!

I hope this master list of knitting abbreviations helps you on your knitting journey!

🥰Click here to download the abbreviations list!😘

Knitting Abbreviations:

* – * – repeat between the asterisks to end of round/row

ALT – alternate

APPROX – approximately

BC – back cross or back cable

BEG – beginning

BET – between

BO – bind-off

BOR – beginning of round

C2B – transfer 1 stitch to a cable needle, hold in the back of your work, knit the next stitch off your working needle and then knit the 1 stitch off the cable needle

C2F – transfer 1 stitch to a cable needle, hold in the front of your work, knit the next 1 stitch off your working needle and then knit the 1 stitch off the cable needle

C3B+KSS – slip 2 stitches onto a cable needle hang at the back of your work, knit the slipped ST 2 rows below, K2 stitches from the cable needle (example)

C3F+KSS – slip 1 stitches onto a cable needle hang at the front of your work, knit 2 stitches , and then knit the 1 stitch from the cable needle (example)

C4B – transfer 2 stitches to a cable needle, hold in the back of your work, knit the next 2 stitches off your working needle and then knit the 2 stitches off the cable needle

C4F – transfer 2 stitches to a cable needle, hold in the front of your work, knit the next 2 stitches off your working needle and then knit the 2 stitches off the cable needle

C6B – transfer 3 stitches to a cable needle, hold in the back of your work, knit the next 3 stitches off your working needle and then knit the 3 stitches off the cable needle

C6BPKP – cable 6 back, slip 3 stitches onto the cable needle, hold at the back of your work, P1, K1, p1 off your left-hand needle and then P1, K1, p1 off the cable needle (example)

C6FPKP – cable 6 front, slip 3 stitches onto the cable needle, hold at the front of your work, P1, K1, p1 off your left-hand needle and then P1, K1, p1 off the cable needle (example)

C6F – transfer 3 stitches to a cable needle, hold in the front of your work, knit the next 3 stitches off your working needle and then knit the 3 stitches off the cable needle

C8B – transfer 4 stitches to a cable needle, hold in the back of your work, knit the next 4 stitches off your working needle and then knit the 4 stitches off the cable needle

C8F – transfer 4 stitches to a cable needle, hold in the front of your work, knit the next 4 stitches off your working needle and then knit the 4 stitches off the cable needle

C10B – transfer 5 stitches to a cable needle, hold in the back of your work, knit the next 5 stitches off your working needle and then knit the 5 stitches off the cable needle

C10F – transfer 5 stitches to a cable needle, hold in the front of your work, knit the next 5 stitches off your working needle and then knit the 5 stitches off the cable needle

CC – contrasting color

CDD – centered double decrease

CF – cable forward

CL – knit into the back of the second stitch, and then the back of the first stitch and then slip both off (no increase or decrease)

CLF – knit into the back of the second stitch, and then the front of the first stitch and then slip both off (no increase or decrease) (example)

CN – cable needle

CO – cast-on

CONT – continue

CR – knit into the front of the second stitch, and then the front of the first stitch and then slip both stitches off (no increase or decrease) (examples: 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5)

DD – double decrease, K2TOG TBL return stitch to left needle, pass the next stitch over it and then slip it to the right needle (decrease 2 stitches)

DEC – decrease

DK – double knitting weight yarn

DP or DPN – double pointed needles

EOR – end of round/row

FOLL – follow

G ST – garter stitch

INC or INC1 – increase 1 stitch

INCL – including

K – knit (K1 means to knit 1 stitch)

K1B – knit into the stitch in the row below (example)

K2TOG – knit 2 stitches together (decrease 1 stitch)

K2TOGTBL – knit 2 stitches together through the back loop (decrease 1 stitch) (examples: 1 & 2)

A Master List of Knitting Abbreviations – FREE PDF Download

K3TOG – knit 3 stitches together (decrease 2 stitches) (examples 1, 2 & 3)

KFB – knit one stitch, before slipping off, knit another stitch into the back of the same stitch, slip to right needle (increase 1 stitch)

KFBF – knit into the front, back and then the front again of the same stitch (increase 2 stitches) (example)

KPK – knit, purl, knit into one stitch (increase 2 stitches) (examples 1, 2 & 3)

KPKC6F – cable 6 front, slip 3 stitches onto cable needle, knit 3 stitches and then K1, P1, K1 off the cable needle (example)

KTBL – knit 1 stitch through the back loop (example)

KWISE or KW – knitwise

LH – left-hand

LLI – left lifted increase

LP – loop

LT – knit through the back loop of the second stitch on the left needle, then knit through the front of the first stitch, and drop them both from the needle at the same time (example)

M – marker

M1 – make one stitch

M1L – make 1 stitch that leans to the left

M1P – make one purl stitch (increase 1 stitch)

M1R – make 1 stitch that leans to the right

MB – make bobble

MC – main color

MD – make daisy – insert needle in hole 3 rows below the 2nd stitches , pull a loop through the hole, knit 2 stitches, pull a 2nd loop through the same hole, knit 2 stitches, pull a 3rd loop through the same hole (example)

P – purl (P2 means to purl 2 stitches)

P1B – purl 1 stitch in the row below

P1FB – stitch in the front and the back of the same stitch (increase 1 stitch)

P2SSO – slip two stitches together as if to knit, knit one stitch, pass the two slipped stitches over the one you knit  (decrease 2 stitches)

P2TOG – purl 2 stitches together (decrease 1 stitch)

P2TOG+1 – purl 2 stitches together, before slipping off from the left needle, knit into the first stitch, slip both stitches to the right needle together (example) (no increase or decrease)

P2TOGTBL – purl 2 stitches together through the back loop (decrease 1 stitch) (examples 1, 2, 3 & 4)

P3TOG – purl 3 stitches together (decrease 2 stitches) (example)

P4TOG – purl 4 stitches together (decrease 3 stitches) (example)

PAT or PATT – pattern

PFB – purl 1 stitch into the front and back of one stitch (increase 1 stitch)

PKP – purl 1, knit 1, purl 1 into one stitch (increase 1 stitch)

PM – place marker

Pom-Pom

Popcorn – knit into the front and back of the loop twice, and then slip the 2nd, 3rd and 4th stitches over the 1st stitch (example)

PSSO – pass slipped stitch over (decrease 1 stitch) (examples 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5)

PTBL – purl through the back loop

PU – pick-up

PUK – pick-up and knit

PULY+K1 – pick up the long yarn created by the K1B, slip the knit stitch as if to knit onto the right needle, put both stitches back onto the left needle and then knit both together (example)

PWISE or PW – purlwise

REM – remaining

REP – repeat

REV ST ST – reverse stockinette stitch: purl one row (right side), knit one row (wrong side)

RH – right-hand 

RLI – right lifted increase

RND – round

RS – right side

RT – right twist – knit 2 stitches together, without dropping stitches from the left needle, knit into the first stitch, slip both stitches to the right needle together. (no increase or decrease)

S1KW – slip one stitch knitwise

S1PW – slip one stitch purlwise

S2B – slip 2 stitches onto a cable needle, hold the stitches in back (example)

S2F – slip 2 stitches onto a cable needle, hold the stitches in front (example)

S2KP – slip 2 stitches together knitwise, knit 1 stitch, pass slipped stitches over (decrease 2 stitches)

S2KP2 – slip 2 stitches as if to knit 2 together, knit 1 off your working needle, pass the 2 slipped stitches over the knit stitch (decrease 2 stitches) 

S4B – slip 4 stitches onto a cable needle, hold the stitches in back (example)

S4F – slip 4 stitches onto a cable needle, hold the stitches in front (example)

SK2P – slip 1 stitch purlwise, knit 2 stitches together, pass the slipped stitch over the 2 stitches knitted together (decrease 2 stitches) (example)

SKP – slip 1 stitch purlwise, knit the next stitch, pass the slipped stitch over the knitted stitch (decrease 1 stitch)

SL1 or S1 or SL ST – slip one stitch

SL1K – slip 1 stitch knitwise

SL1P – slip 1 stitch purlwise

SM – slip stitch marker

SSK – slip 2 stitches knitwise, knit both together through the back loops (decrease 1 stitch)

SSP – slip 2 stitches knitwise, purl both together through the back loops (decrease 1 stitch)

SSPP2 – slip 2 stitches knitwise, return these 2 stitches to left needle and then slip them as if to p2tog through back loops, purl 1 off the working needle and then pass the 2 slipped stitches over the purled stitch (decrease 2 stitches) 

SSSK – slip 3 stitches knitwise, knit all 3 together through the back loops (decrease 2 stitch)

SSSP – slip 3 stitches knitwise, purl all 3 together through the back loops (decrease 2 stitch) 

ST – stitch

ST ST – stockinette stitch: knit one row (right side), purl one row (wrong side)

STS – stitches

TBL – through the back loop

TFL – through the front loop

Tie2 – slip 2 stitches onto a cable needle, wrap the working yarn from left to right around the 2 stitches twice and then knit 2 stitches off the cable needle (example)

Tie6 – slip 6 stitches onto a cable needle, wrap the working yarn from left to right around the 6 stitches twice and then knit 2, purl 2, knit 2 stitches off the cable needle (example)

TOG – together

W&T – wrap and turn

WS – wrong side

WYIB – with yarn in back

WYIF or YFWD – with yarn in front

YBK – with the yarn in the back of the work

YF or YFWD or WYIF – yarn forward, with yarn in front

YO – yarn over

YOB – bring working yarn over top of needle to the back, this produces a yarn over (example)

YON – yarn over needle

YOO – yarn over twice (examples 1, 2 & 3)

YRN – yarn round needle