” Single quotes are used to abbreviate the word inch or inches. 4” is equal to 4 inches.
* When you encounter a single asterisk, you will repeat the directions that follow the * as is indicated at the end of the line of instructions.
* * When you encounter a set of asterisk’s surrounding a portion of instructions, you will repeat the instructions between the * * as many times as is indicated directly after them.
( ) When you encounter parentheses, you will repeat the instructions between the ( ) as many times as is indicated directly after them.
[ ] When you encounter brackets, you will repeat the instructions between the [ ] as many times as is indicated directly after them.
alt is an abbreviation for alternate.
approx is an abbreviation for approximately.
beg is an abbreviation for begin or beginning.
bet is an abbreviation for between.
BO is an abbreviation for bind off.
CC is an abbreviation for contrast color.
cm is an abbreviation for centimeter or centimeters.
cn is an abbreviation for cable needle.
CO is an abbreviation for cast on.
cont is an abbreviation for continue.
dec is an abbreviation for decrease or decreases. For instructions, visit the Decrease category.
dpn and dpns are abbreviations for double point(ed) needle or needles.
fl is an abbreviation for front loop or front loops.
foll is an abbreviation for follow, follows, or following.
frogging is the act of unraveling or tearing out knitting.
Garter stitch fabric is created when you knit every single row. The result is a ridged surface. For more information please see the Garter entry in the Stitch Patterns topic.
inst is an abbreviation for instruction or instructions.
K or k are common abbreviations for knit. If you would like more information about making a knit stitch, please click on the Knitting 101 category.
k2tog is an abbreviation for knit two together. See the Decrease topic for further instructions.
ktbl is an abbreviation for knit through back loop. For this instruction, you will pass your right needle through the back side of the next stitch from right to left. You will then complete the knit stitch as usual.
kwise is an abbreviation for knitwise.This is less of a technique and more of a direction. It just indicates the side from which you will hold your needle ready to attack. The front of your fabric is the side where any action will happen knitwise. If your instructions (or the voices in your head) tell you to do something knitwise, then you will insert your right needle tip into the next stitch as if you were going to complete a knit stitch.
p2tog is an abbreviation for purl two together. It involves purling two stitches together as though they were one stitch. Completing a p2tog creates a decrease in your knitting because where once there were two stitches; there is now only one stitch. This decrease slants to the right. If you are decreasing evenly on both sides of your fabric to create a point (such as the top of a mitten) or shaping armholes, you would want to use this on the left hand side of the front of the garment. On the right hand side you would use a left slanting decrease.Insert right needle through 2 stitches at once from right to left and complete purl stitch as usual.
After you have slipped one stitch from the left needle to the right needle and knit one stitch to follow it, you will be ready to pass the slipped stitch over. Simply insert your left needle tip into the slipped stitch from left to right.
Using your left needle tip, lift that stitch up and over the stitch to the left of it and off of the right needle. Extract your left needle tip if it is still in the stitch.
For this instruction, you will pass your right needle through the back side of the next stitch from left to right. You will then complete the purl stitch as usual.
The back side of your fabric is the side where any action will happen purlwise. If your instructions (or the voices in your head) tell you to do something purlwise, then you will simply insert your right needle tip into the next stitch as if you were going to complete a purl stitch.
Reverse stockinette fabric is created by beginning with a purl row and then alternating knit and purl rows.
Slip stitch off of left needle.
wyib is an abbreviation for with yarn in back. When you see this direction, you will want to have your working yarn hanging down the backside of your knitting, as it does when you are making knit stitches.
wyif is an abbreviation for with yarn in front. When you see this direction, you will want to have your working yarn hanging down the front of your knitting, as it does when you are making purl stitches.
