Whether you’re picking up a hook or needles, patterns often come with abbreviations and stitch terms that can feel like a new language. This guide brings together the most common knitting and crochet abbreviations, special stitches, and techniques, all explained clearly in one place. Keep it handy as your quick reference while working through any project.
ABBREVIATIONS
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Knit
beg: begin/beginning bo: bind/bound off BOR: beginning of round cn: cable needle co: cast on dec: decrease dpn(s): double pointed needle(s) inc: increase k: knit k2tog: knit two stitches together LH: left hand p: purl psso: pass slipped stitch over p2sso: pass 2 slipped stitches over p2tog: purl 2 stitches together pat: pattern pm: place marker pw: purlwise rep: repeat RH: right hand RS: right side sl: slip sm: slip marker st(s): stitch(es) tbl: through back loop WS: wrong side wyib: with yarn in back wyif: with yarn in front yo: yarn over |
Crochet
[ ] work instructions within brackets as many times as directed beg: begin/beginning BOR: beginning of round bpdc: back post double crochet ch(s): chain(s) stitch ch-sp(s): chain space(s) dec: decrease fpdc: front post double crochet hdc: half double crochet inc: increase lp(s): loop(s) pm: place marker rep(s): repeat(s) rnd(s): round(s) RS: right side sc: single crochet sk: skip sl st: slip stitch sm: slip marker sp: space st(s): stitch(es) tog: together WS: wrong side yo: yarn over |
SPECIAL STITCHES
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Knit
Center Double Decrease (CDD): Sl 2 st kw as if to knit them tog, k1, pass both sl sts over – 3 sts dec to 1. Estonian Braid: *Knit tbl into second st on LH needle, knit first st on LH needle, drop both sts off LH needle, sl last st on RH needle to LH needle; rep from * across, leaving last st on RH (do not slip it back to LH needle). Knit Front and Back (kfb): Knit into front loop of st without dropping it off LH needle, knit same st into back loop, and drop st of needle. (1 st inc’d) Left Twisted Decrease (LTD): K2tog dropping first st from LH needle, ssk (first 2 sts on LH needle) dropping both sts from LH needle—1 st dec. Make 1 Left (M1L): Insert LH needle from front to back under horizontal strand between last st worked and next st on LH needle; knit into back of resulting loop. Make 1 Right (M1R): Insert LH needle from back to front under horizontal strand between last st worked and next st on LH needle; knit into front of resulting loop. Make 1 Purl (M1P): Insert LH needle from back to front under horizontal strand between last st worked and next st on LH needle; purl through front of resulting loop. Slip, slip, knit (ssk): slip 2 stitches knitwise, knit these 2 stitches together through back loops |
Crochet
Stacked Single Crochet Stitch (stsc): Insert hook into first st, yo and bring up a lp (2 lps on hook), yo and draw through both lps on hook, insert hook into 2nd leg of sc just made, yo and bring up a lp (2 lps on hook), yo and draw through both lps. Counts as dc st. Standing Double Crochet (standing dc): Slip knot on hook, yo, insert hook into first st, yo and bring up a lp (3 lps on hook), (yo and draw through 2 lps) twice. Two Single Crochet Together (sc2tog): Bring up a lp in each of next 2 sts, yo and draw through all 3 lps on hook. Yarn over slip stitch (yo-slst): Yo, insert hook in next st, yo and draw through st and 2 lps on hook. |