Knitting terms are kind of like abbreviations, but they are
usually sentences instead of just a few letters. Designers and
pattern writers have come up with certain words or combinations
of words to describe what they want you to do in the pattern. If
you read through the list, you can see that most of them are
pretty easy to figure out.
You’ll also see that some of the terms use abbreviations. If you
can’t remember what they stand for, just check in
Abbreviations.
As established - Keep doing what you’re doing.
As if to knit - Put the needle into the stitch as if you were
going to knit it. Sometimes you also see this written as “knitwise”.
As if to purl - Put the needle into the stitch as if you were
going to purl it. Sometimes you also see this written as “purlwise”.
AT THE SAME TIME - Do what the new instructions tell you to do,
but as the same time keep following the instructions that came
just before.
Attach - Join a new strand of yarn.
Bind off in rib - Knit the knit stitches and purl the purl
stitches as you bind them off.
Bind off loosely - Be careful not to pull the yarn too tight when
you’re binding off. I use a needle one or two sizes bigger when
my pattern tells me to be loose.
Change to smaller or larger needles - Sometimes different sized
needles are used in different parts of a project. The pattern
will tell you when to use the different sizes.
Cont in pat: - Keep working in the same pattern stitch.
Directions are for smallest size with larger sizes in
parentheses - When the pattern is given for more than one size,
all through the pattern the smallest size is given first then
the other sizes are shown in parentheses afterward. For example,
“bind off 6 (9, 12) st” means to bind off 6 stitches for the
smallest size, 9 stitches for the middle size, and 12 stitches
for the largest size.
End with a RS (WS) row - The pattern designer is telling you which
side to make the last row you work.
Fasten off - After you’ve finished binding off, pull the end of
the yarn through the last loop on the needle, pull tight and
cut.
From beg - You often see this when you are to measure your piece.
It means to measure from where you began the piece, including
any edgings.
Gauge (rhymes with page) - The number of stitches and rows that
measure one inch. Patterns often give this measurement for four
inches or 10 centimeters. This is explained on page 43 in the
How To Knit book.
k the knit sts and p the purl sts as they face you - If the stitch
you’re about to work is smooth on the front, knit it; if it has
a bump on the front, purl it. This is what you do when you make
ribbed patterns.
k the purl sts and p the knit sts as they face you - If the stitch
you’re about to work is smooth on the front, purl it; if it has
a bump on the front, knit it. This is what you do when you make
seed or moss stitch pattern.
Knitwise - Put the needle into the stitch as if you are going to
knit it. This may also be worded “as if to knit”.
Left side - This means the part of the garment that is on your
left side when you are wearing it.
Next row (RS), or (WS) - This is sometimes given at the end of a
series of instructions and refers to which side your next row
should be. It helps to make sure you’ve ended up on the correct
side!
Place marker - Put a marker or a piece of yarn at the place or
places suggested in the directions.
Purlwise - Put the needle into the stitch as you are going to purl
it. This may also be worded “as if to purl”.
Rep between *’s - Repeat whatever it says to do between the two
asterisks.
Rep …. times more - Do what ever it say that many times more, in
addition to the first time.
Schematic - The little line drawing included in most patterns are
called schematics. They tell you the measurements of the
different parts of your project before you sew them together.
They are really helpful because they tell you how each piece
should look when it’s done.
Slip marker - Move a marker from the left needle to the right
needle as you knit or purl the row.
Slip … st(s) - Pass the number of stitches instructed from the
left needle to the right needle without knitting them.
Slip sts to holder - Take the stitches off the needle and put them
on to a holder or thread them onto a piece of yarn.
Swatch - A piece of knitting done in the yarn and in the pattern
you are going to use on your project. You can read more about
swatches on page 43-45 in my How To Knit book.
Weave in ends - When you’ve finished your project, the ends need
to be hidden. You can read about how to do this on page 28 of
the How to Knit book.
Work even - Continue knitting without increasing or decreasing.
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