Knitting Abbreviations and Knitting chart Symbols

Before you start the first project is find a comfortable and quiet place to knit. We shouldn't be too worried. The beginning of learning how to knit is very difficult for those who have never held knitting needles but everything will be all right. It is important to remember not to hurry.

Here are some commonly used abbreviations.

alt	alternate
approx	approximately
beg	begin[ning]
blocking	Information about blocking can be found here and here.
cab	cable
CC	contrasting color
cn	cable needle
CO	cast on
cont	continue[ing]
dec	decrease[ing]
dpn	double pointed needles[s]
Foll	follow[s][ing]
g	grams
i-cord	When working I-cord, work is not turned. Instead of turning the work around to work back on the WS, slide all sts to the other end of the needle, switch the needle back to your left hand, bring the yarn around the back of the work, and start knitting the sts again. After the first 2 sts, give the yarn a sharp tug. Repeat this row to form I-cord. After a few rows, the work will begin to form a
inc	increase[ing]
incl	including
inst	instructions
k	knit
k tbl	knit through back of loop
k2tog	knit two together
kfb	knit into front and back of stitch
m	meter[s]
MB	make bobble
MC	main color
m1	Make 1 stitch: Insert left needle, from front to back, under strand of yarn which runs between last stitch on left needle and first stitch on right needle; knit this stitch through back loop. 1 stitch increased.
mm	millimeters
mult	Multiple
opp	opposite
oz	ounces
p	purl
p2tog	purl two together
pfb	purl into front and back of stitch
pm	place marker
psso	pass slipped stitch[es] over
Rem	Remaining
Rep	repeat
rev St st	reverse stockinette stitch
RS	right side[s]
rnd[s]	round[s]
Sc	Single crochet
SK2P	slip 1 stitch, knit two together, pass slipped stitch over
SSK	slip 2 stitches as if to knit, then knit those 2 stitches together
SSP	slip 2 stitches as if to purl, then purl those 2 stitches together
sl	Slip
slp	slip one as if to purl
sl st	slip stitch
st[s]	stitch[es]
St st	stockinette stitch
tbl	through back of loop[s]
tog	together
WS	wrong side[s]
w&t	Wrap and turn. Bring yarn to front of work between needles, slip next st to right-hand needle, bring yarn around this st to back of work, slip st back to left-hand needle, turn work to begin working back in the other direction.
YO	yarn over
* *	repeat directions between ** as many times as indicated

Below is a list of the knitting chart symbols used in Japanese patterns:

Symbols	Abbs	Description
1	k	knit one
2	k1	knit 1 stitch
3	k1b	knit in back loop of the stitch, resulting in a twisted stitch
4	p	purl one
5	p1	purl 1 stitch
6	p1-b	purl in the back loop, resulting in a twisted stitch
7	sl 1 wyib	slip a stitch with yarn held in back
8	SKPO	Illustrated  pictures  Slip, Knit, Pass Over. knit two together so that the result slants to the left, (i.e., ssk)
9	k2-tog	Illustrated pictures knit two together so that result slants to the right
10	p2-tog	purl two together so that the result slants to the right
11	p2-tog	Illustrated  pictures Close SKPO but purling version purl two together so that the stitches slat to the left
12	k3-tog	Illustrated  pictures slip 1 stitch to right needle; k2-tog; then pass the slipped stitch over the k2-tog
13	k3-tog	Illustrated pictures knit 3 together
14	k3-tog	Illustrated pictures skip first stitch; insert needle into second stitch as if to knit; then insert needle through first stitch as if to knit (but don’t' actually knit them; you are just arranging them as crossed loops). Transfer the two, crossed loops off the left needle to the right needle. Knit the next stitch on the left needle. Pass the two crossed, slipped loops back to the left over the knit stitch and off the needle.
15	p3-tog	skip next purl stitch; insert needle from back into the next two stitches on the right needle; then slip the two stitches back onto the left needle; then purl the 3 stitch together
16	p3-tog	purl three together
17	p3-tog	transpose the order of the second and third stitch on the right needle; then purl the three stitches together
18	k4-tog	knit 4 stitches together
19	k4-tog	slip next 3 stitches to right needle; knit the next stitch on the left needle; then one by one pass the first three stitches over the knit stitch
20	k5-tog	knit 5 stltches together
21	k5-tog	slip next 4 stitches to right needle; knit next stitch on left needle; one at a time pass each of the first four stitches over the knit stitch
22	inc R	Knit (from front) into the stitch in the row below the next stitch on left-hand needle; then knit the stitch on left-hand needle in the usual way.
23	inc L	Knit (from front) into the stitch in the row below the next stitch on left-hand needle; then knit the stitch on left-hand needle in the usual way.
24	M1	Illustrated pictures insert needle in stitch 1 row below next stitch and knit; then knit the next stitch on the left needle. The resulting increase should slant slightly to the left
25	M1	Illustrated pictures  knit next stitch then knit into the stitch 1 row below the stitch just knitted. The resulting increase   should slant slightly to the right.
26	M1	Illustrated pictures insert needle into purl stitch 1 row below next stitch and purl ; then purl the next stitch on the   left needle
27	M1	Illustrated pictures purl the next stitch then purl into the stitch one row below the stitch just worked. The resulting   increase should slant slightly to the left
28	k4-tog	knit 4 stitches together
29	k4-tog	slip next 3 stitches to right needle; knit the next stitch on the left needle; then one by one pass the first three stitches over the knit stitch
30	YO	Illustrated  pictures  yarn over
31	YO	yarn over from back to front
32	(k1, yo, k1)	(k1, yo, k1) in next stitch to make 3 stitches in 1
33	I3	make three stitches from one stitch (k1 p1, k1) in same stitch
34	(k1, p1, k1)	(k1, p1, k1) in next stitch to make 3 stitches in 1
35	(p1, yo, p1)	(p1, yo, p1) in next stitch to make 3 stitches in 1
36	(k1, yo, k1, yo, k1)	(k1, yo, k1, yo, k1) in next stitch to make 5 stitches in 1
37	(k1, p1, k1, p1)	(k1, p1, k1, p1) in next stitch to make 4 stitches in 1
38	cluster	(k1, p1, k1) in next loop; slip the three stitches just made back to the left needle; k3-tog the three stitches just made
39	cluster	knit 3 stitches together and leave on right needle; p1-b the same three stitches; then knit the same three stitches again
40	Tuck stitch	Pick up the loop of the stitch in the row below together with the stitch in the current row.
41	Twist tuck stitch	Pick up and twist the loop of the stitch in the row below together with the stitch in the current row.
42	LT-b	Left cross working through back loop of the stitch
43	RT-b	Right cross working through the back loop to
44	Pass right through left	Illustrated pictures
45	Pass left through right	Illustrated pictures
46	needle-skipping