Knitting abbreviations explained: k2tog, ssk, m1 and the rest
What the common knitting abbreviations mean, which way each decrease leans, and the few words that change between US and UK patterns.
· 3 min read
Knitting abbreviations are kinder than crochet ones in one way: a k2tog is a k2tog in London and in Chicago. What trips knitters up is that several abbreviations do almost the same thing and differ only in which way the stitch leans. On a sock gusset or a raglan sleeve, that lean is the whole point.
The two stitches everything is built from
- k: knit.
- p: purl.
“K2, p2” means knit two, purl two. “K to end” means knit every stitch left on the needle.
Decreases, and which way they lean
Decreases come in pairs so shaping can look the same on both sides of a piece.
| Abbreviation | Means | Leans |
|---|---|---|
| k2tog | knit 2 together | right |
| ssk | slip, slip, knit the 2 slipped stitches together through the back loops | left |
| skp | slip 1, knit 1, pass the slipped stitch over (UK: skpo) | left |
| p2tog | purl 2 together | right, seen from the knit side |
| sk2p | slip 1, knit 2 together, pass the slipped stitch over | a double decrease, leans left |
If a pattern says “ssk, knit to last 2 sts, k2tog”, it is asking for a left-leaning decrease at the start and a right-leaning one at the end, so the edges slope in toward each other neatly.
Some knitters substitute skp for ssk. They both lean left, but ssk usually lies flatter. Use whichever the pattern names unless you know you prefer the other.
Increases
| Abbreviation | Means |
|---|---|
| kfb | knit into the front and then the back of the same stitch |
| m1 | make 1: pick up the bar between two stitches and knit it |
| m1l | make 1 left: pick up the bar front to back, knit through the back loop |
| m1r | make 1 right: pick up the bar back to front, knit through the front loop |
| yo | yarn over: wrap the yarn around the needle, leaving a small hole |
A yarn over is the basis of lace. In UK patterns you may see “yfwd” (yarn forward) or “yrn” (yarn round needle) for the same idea.
Slipping and where the yarn goes
| Abbreviation | Means |
|---|---|
| sl | slip a stitch without working it |
| sl1 kwise / pwise | slip knitwise / purlwise |
| wyif | with yarn in front |
| wyib | with yarn in back |
| tbl | through the back loop, which twists the stitch |
| psso | pass the slipped stitch over |
Unless the pattern says otherwise, slip purlwise. The exception is a slip that is part of a decrease, like the slips in ssk, which are knitwise.
Markers, cables and structure
| Abbreviation | Means |
|---|---|
| pm / sm | place marker / slip marker |
| co / bo | cast on / bind off (UK: cast off) |
| c4f / c4b | cable 4 front / cable 4 back, using a cable needle (cn) |
| w&t | wrap and turn, for short rows |
| dpn | double-pointed needles |
| st st | stockinette stitch (UK: stocking stitch) |
| RS / WS | right side / wrong side |
US and UK words that change
The stitches keep their names, but a handful of words do not:
- bind off (US) and cast off (UK)
- gauge and tension
- stockinette and stocking stitch
- yarn over and yarn forward or yarn round needle
That is close to the full list, which is why most knitters can read patterns from either side without converting anything.
When the pattern uses one you have never seen
Designers define unusual abbreviations in the pattern itself, usually in a box near the start. Our abbreviation lookup covers the common knitting and crochet ones with plain explanations, and in the Yarnstep app you can tap ssk or m1l inside your own pattern to see what it means without leaving the row.
If your pattern also comes in several sizes, the numbers in parentheses are explained in how to read size brackets.
