Knitting Abbreviations & Needles Sizes
This quick reference guide will keep you on the right track with your stitches.
| UK | US | GAUGE OVER 10CM | AVERAGE NEEDLE SIZE |
| 2-Ply/Lace | Baby | 30 – 32 sts | 2.25mm – 2.75mm |
| 3-Ply | Fingering | 27 – 30 sts | 2.75mm – 3.25mm |
| 4-Ply | Sportweight | 23 – 26 sts | 3.25mm – 3.75mm |
| Double Knitting (DK) | Worsted | 21 – 24 sts | 3.75mm – 4.5mm |
| Aran | Fisherman/ Medium | 16 – 20 sts | 4.5mm – 5.5mm |
| Chunky | Bulky | 12 – 15 sts | 5.5mm – 8mm |
| Super Chunky | Super Bulky | 6 – 11sts | 8mm or larger |
| Needle Sizing | ||
| UK (mm) |
USA | Old UK/ Canada |
| 2 | 0 | 14 |
| 2.25 | 1 | 13 |
| 2.75 | 2 | 12 |
| 3 | - | 11 |
| 3.25 | 3 | 10 |
| 3.5 | 4 | - |
| 3.75 | 5 | 9 |
| 4 | 6 | 8 |
| 4.5 | 7 | 7 |
| 5 | 8 | 6 |
| 5.5 | 9 | 5 |
| 6 | 10 | 4 |
| 6.5 | 10½ | 3 |
| 7 | - | 2 |
| 7.5 | - | 1 |
| 8 | 11 | 0 |
| 9 | 13 | 00 |
| 10 | 15 | 000 |
| 12 | 17 | - |
| 15 | - | - |
| 16 | 19 | - |
| 19 | 35 | - |
| 20 | 36 | - |
| 25 | 50 | - |
| ABBREVIATIONS | |
| 0 | no stitches, times or rows |
| - | no stitches, times or rows for that size |
| alt | alternate |
| approx | approximately |
| beg | beginning |
| bet | between |
| ch | chain stitch |
| ch sp | chain space |
| circ | circular needles |
| cm | centimetres |
| cn | cable needle |
| cont | continue (ing) |
| dc | double crochet |
| dec | decrease(ing) |
| dpn | double pointed needles |
| dtr | double treble crochet |
| foll | following |
| htr | half treble crochet |
| inc | increase(ing) |
| k | knit |
| kfb | knit into the front and back of the next stitch |
| k2tog | knit two stitches together |
| kwise | knitwise |
| lp | loop |
| m1 | make one stitch, by picking up the horizontal loop before next stitch and knitting into back of it |
| m1p | make one stitch, by picking up the horizontal loop before next stitch and purling into back of it |
| meas | measure(s) |
| mm | millimetres |
| N1 (2,3) | needle 1 (2,3) |
| p | purl |
| pb | place bead |
| pm | place marker |
| p2tog | purl two stitches together |
| prev | previous |
| psso | pass slipped stitch over |
| pwise | purlwise |
| rem | remain(ing) |
| rep | repeat(ing) |
| rev st st | reverse stocking stitch |
| RS | right side |
| skpo | slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over |
| sl 1 | slip one stitch |
| sl st | slip stitch |
| ssk | one by one, slip the next two stitches knitwise. Put your left needle through the front loops of both slipped stitches and knit them together. |
| st(s) | stitch(es) |
| st st | stocking stitch (RS row k, WS row p) |
| tbl | through the back of the loop(s) |
| tr | treble crochet |
| WS | wrong side |
| wyib | with yarn in back |
| wyif | with yarn in front |
| yb | yarn back |
| yfwd | yarn forward (between knit sts) |
| yoh | yarn over hook |
| yon | yarn over needle (between a purl and a knit st) |
| yrn | yarn round the needle (between purl sts and between a knit and a purl st) |
| * | repeat instructions between the asterisks as many times as instructed |
| ( ) | work instructions inside the brackets as many times as instructed |
