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Knitting Abbreviations & Needle Sizes
This quick reference guide will keep you on the right track with your stitches.
UK
US
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
UK
Old UK/Canada
US
2
14
0
2.25
13
1
3
12
2
3.25
11
-
3.5
10
3
3.75
-
-
4
9
4
4.5
8
5
5
7
6
5.5
6
7
7
3
10
7.5
2
10 1/2
8
1
-
8.5
0
11
9
00
13
10
000
15
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
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
ch
chain stitch
ch sp
chain space
circ
circular needles
cm
centimetres
cn
cable needle
cont
continue (ing)
dc
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)
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
pfb
purl into the front and back of next st
pm
place marker
p2tog
tog purl two stitches together
prev
previous
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)
rm
remove marker
RS
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)
tr
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
WS
wrong side
wyib
with yarn in back
wyif
with yarn in front
yb
yarn back
yfwd
yarn forward (between knit sts)
yo
work yfwd/yon/yrn as appropriate
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)
y2rn
wrap yarn twice around needle
*
repeat instructions following the asterisk as many times as instructed
()[]
work instructions inside the brackets as many times as instructed
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