Following is a list of loom knitting abbreviations commonly used by yarn industry designers and publishers. In addition, designers and publishers may use special abbreviations in a pattern, which you might not find on this list. Generally, a definition of special abbreviations is given at the beginning of a book or pattern.
| Abbreviation |
Description |
| alt |
alternate |
| approx |
approximately |
| B to B |
back to back |
| B to F |
back to front |
| beg |
beginning |
| bet |
between |
| BO |
bind off |
| C2C |
center to center |
| CCO |
crochet cast on |
| ch |
chain |
| CC |
contrasting color |
| cn |
cable needle |
| CO |
cast on |
| cont |
continue |
| dec |
decrease |
| DK |
double knit |
| DS |
double stitch: with 3 loops on each peg, knit bottom loop over 2 top loops |
| EW |
e-wrap |
| EWK |
e-wrap and knit |
| F to B |
front to back |
| FK |
flat knit |
| foll |
follow |
| GBO |
gather bind off |
| HS |
half stitch |
| inc |
increase |
| K |
true/traditional knit stitch |
| kfb |
knit 1 into front and back of a stitch; 1 increase |
| KO |
knit off/over |
| k2tog |
knit 2 stitches together; single right-leaning decrease |
| LTW |
left twist |
| LH |
left hand |
| lp |
loop |
| m |
marker |
| M1 |
make one stitch |
| M1L |
make one left; single left-leaning knit increase |
| M1R |
make one right; single right-leaning knit increase |
| Abbreviation |
Description |
| MC |
main color |
| p |
purl stitch |
| pat or patt |
pattern |
| pfb |
purl into the front and back of a stitch; single increase |
| pm |
place marker |
| p2tog |
purl 2 stitches together; single left-leaning decrease |
| prev |
previous |
| psso |
pass slipped stitch over |
| pu |
pick up |
| rem |
remaining |
| rep |
repeat |
| rev St st |
reverse stockinette stitch |
| RH |
right hand |
| rnd |
rounds |
| RS |
right side |
| RTW |
right twist |
| sel |
selvage |
| sl |
slip |
| sl st |
slip stitch |
| ssk |
slip 2 stitches knitwise, knit these 2 stitches together through back loops; single left-leaning decrease |
| st |
stitch |
| St st |
stockinette stitch |
| tog |
together |
| UK |
u-wrap knit |
| W&T |
wrap and turn |
| WS |
wrong side |
| wy |
working yarn |
| wyib |
with yarn in back |
| wyif |
with yarn in front |
| ybk |
yarn back |
| yfwd or yfd |
yarn forward |
| yo |
yarn over |
| yrp |
yarn round peg |
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