Knitting Abbreviations

How many times does it happen that you find an easy pattern for a beautiful scarf or a cute hat, but still have a hard time making it because of all the technical terms and abbreviations used in the instructions? You end up visiting other websites and search dictionaries to understand what to do next. So, here are the full forms for all those tricky abbreviations you often come across while working on a knitting project.

inch(es) [] work instructions within the brackets as directed
() work instructions between the parentheses as directed * repeat all instructions following this single asterisk as directed
** repeat all instructions within the two  asterisks as directed alt alternate
approx approximately beg begin/beginning
BC back cross bet between
bk2tog brioche knit 2 together bk3tog brioche knit 3 together
bp2tog brioche purl 2 together BO bind off
cco cable cast on ch chain
CC contrast color cn cable needle
cont continue CO cast on
cross 2 R cross 2 stitches to left (cable) cross 2 L cross 2 stitches to right (cable)
CA color A CB color B
dtr double treble dec decrease/decreases
dp/dpn(s) double point needle(s) dc double crochet
DK double knitting EON end of needle
est established ext extension
foll follow/following FC front cross
fl front loop (s) krl knit right loop
g gram inc increase/increasing
K/k knit k2tog knit 2 (stitches) together
kwise knit wise ktbl knit through the back loop
k1fb knit 1 front & back k1tbl knit through back loop
k2tog tbl knit 2 together, through back loop kll knit left loop
LT Left twist lp(s) loop(s)
LH left hand LC left cross
MB#2 Make bobble 2 m meters
m1/m2 make 1 stitch/make 2 stitches MC main color
mm millimeter M1A make 1 away
M1B make 1 back M1F make 1 front
M1L make 1 left M1R make 1 right
M1T Make one towards MB make bobble
meas measure(s) ndl(s) needles
no number oz ounces
pwise purlwise p purl
p1fb purl 1 front & back p2tog purl 2 together
ptbl purl through the back loop p2tog tbl purl 2 together, through back loop
pat/patt pattern pm place marker
pr previous row/previous round psso pass a slipped stitch over
p up pick up and purl prev previous
pnso pass next stitch over pop popcorn stitch
r row RC right cross
rem remain/remaining rep repeat
rev St st Reverse stockinette (stocking) stitch RH right hand
rib ribbing rnd(s) round (s)
RS right side RT right twist
st(s) stitches s1k2p slip 1, knit 2 together, pass the slipped stitch over
SKP(skpo) Slip 1, knit 1, pass the slipped stitch over knit stitch sl st slip stitches
sp(s) space(s) ss slip stitches (Canada)
ssk slip 2 stitches and knit them together ssp slip 2 stitches and purl them together
sk2p slip 1, knit 2 together, pass the slip stitch over the k2tog sl1k slip 1 knitwise
sssk slip,slip,slip and knit them together sk skip
s2kp slip 2 together, knit 1, pass the two slip stitches over tog together
T2L twist two to the left T2R Twist two to the right
tbl through the back loop tfl through the front loop
t-ch turning chain tr treble
trtr triple treble wrn wool around the needle
won wool over the needle WS wrong side
wyif with yarn in the front wyib with yarn in the back
WE work even yfwd/yf yarn forward
yb (ybk) yarn back yd(s) yard(s)
yon yarn over needle yrn yarn around needle
yfrn yarn forward and around the needle yfon yarn forward and over the needle
yo yarn over yrh yarn round hook