November issue of Let's Knit
Magazine on sale now.

Click Here

Want access to over 1,000
knitting patterns?

Join Today!

Knitting Abbreviations & Needle Sizes

This quick reference guide will keep you on the right track with your stitches.

Gauge over 10cm

Average needle size

2ply/Lace

Fingering 10-count

30 – 32 sts

2.25mm – 2.75mm

3ply

Fingering

27 – 30 sts

2.75mm – 3.25mm

4ply

Fingering

23 – 26 sts

3.25mm – 3.75mm

Double Knitting (DK)

Sportweight/DK

21 – 24 sts

3.75mm – 4.5mm

Aran

Worsted

16 – 20 sts

4.5mm – 5.5mm

Chunky

Bulky

12 – 15 sts

5.5mm – 8mm

Super Chunky

Super Bulky

6 – 11 sts

8mm or larger

Needle Sizing

Old UK/Canada

2.25

3.25

3.5

3.75

4.5

5.5

7.5

10 1/2

8.5

000

Abbreviations

no stitches, times or rows

no stitches, times or rows for that size

alt

alternate

approx

approximately

beg

beginning

bet

between

C4F

C4F(cable 4 front) slip two stitches on to cable needle, hold at front of work, k2, k2 from cable needle

C4B

(cable 4 back) slip two stitches onto cable needle, hold at back of work, k2, k2 from cable needle

chain stitch

ch sp

chain space

circ

circular needles

centimetres

cable needle

cont

continue (ing)

double crochet

dc2tog

(insert hook into next stitch, yarn over hook, pull through loop) twice, yarn over hook, pull through all three loops on hook

dec

decrease(ing)

dpn

double pointed needles

dtr

double treble crochet

foll

following

htr

half treble crochet

inc

increase(ing)

knit

kfb

knit into the front and back of the next stitch

k2tog

knit two stitches together

kwise

knitwise

loop

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)

millimetres

N1(2,3)

needle 1 (2,3)

purl

place bead

pfb

purl into the front and back of next st

place marker

p2tog

tog purl two stitches together

prev

psso

pass slipped stitch over

p2sso

pass two slipped stitches over and off needle

pwise

purlwise

rem

remain(ing)

rep

repeat(ing)

rev st st

reverse stocking stitch (p on RS row, k on WS row)

remove marker

right side

skpo

slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over

sk2po

slip next stitch purlwise, knit two together, pass slipped stitch over and off needle

sl 2, k1, p2sso

slip next two stitches knitwise at the same time, knit one, pass both slipped stitches over

sl1

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 (k on RS row, p on WS row)

tbl

through the back of the loop(s)

treble crochet

w&t

(on knit rows) take the yarn between the needles to the front of the work, slip the next stitch from the Left Hand needle to the Right Hand needle purlwise, take the yarn between the needles back to its original position, slip the stitch back to the Left Hand needle and turn (on purl rows) take the yarn between the needles to the back of the work, slip the next stitch from the Left Hand needle to the Right Hand needle purlwise, take the yarn between the needles back to its original position, slip the stitch back to the Left Hand needle and turn

wrong side

wyib

with yarn in back

wyif

with yarn in front

yarn back

yfwd

yarn forward (between knit sts)

work yfwd/yon/yrn as appropriate

yoh

yarn over hook

yon