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A Guide to Knitting Abbreviations

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knitting abbreviationsDifferent hobbies tend to have their own languages that are indecipherable to people not in the know, but in knitting the code can be particularly frustrating to break because so many abbreviations are used in knitting patterns themselves.

Whether you’re new to knitting or have just run across an unfamiliar term in a pattern (aside: if a pattern is good it will explain all the abbreviations used within), this guide to knitting abbreviations from Darn Good Yarn is a good reference. It has about 70 terms explained, from alt to ssk to yon and everything in between.

It doesn’t even touch on the funny acronyms of knitting (like UFO, WIP and SABLE) and there are still 70 different terms? It’s no wonder knitters sometimes knitters feel like they’re breaking a code when they decipher patterns.

[Photo: Darn Good Yarn.]

AbbreviationDescription
BOBind off
COCast on
kKnit
pPurl
k2togKnit two stitches together
sskSlip, slip, knit (decrease)
yoYarn over
RSRight side
WSWrong side
st(s)Stitch(es)
repRepeat
Rnd(s)Round(s)
MCMain color
CCContrasting color
pattPattern
remRemaining

 

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Have you read?

Stitch Your Favorite Fruit on a Sweater

The other day I saw a post from Pinterest about trends for summer and it said one of them was “cultivating whimsy.” 

Well, I don’t know where Pinterest has been all this time, but we’ve been cultivating whimsy here at Craft Gossip for a long time. I love sharing projects that are a little different, things that make you smile when you see them, and will make you smile when you knit them and wear them or use them. 

Such it is with the Tutti Frutti tee knitting pattern from Bea Creative Knits. 

This cute little baby tee is worked top down in the round with contiguous shoulder construction to shape the sleeve caps. There are short rows for the neckline and folded hems with picot edging at the hemline, neckline and edges of the sleeves. 

All of this would be great on its own, but then there’s the addition of a super cute fruit icon, which is added with duplicate stitch. There are a lot of options, including strawberry, banana, orange, cherries, watermelon, lemon, blueberries, kiwi, peach, dragon fruit, apple and pear, so it’s likely you can add on your favorite fruit. 

It is offered in eight sizes, to fit a bust measurement ranging from 28-30 inches (71-76 cm) to 56-58 inches (142-147 cm). The design is meant to be worn with around 6.3 inches/16 cm of negative ease, but you can choose the fit you prefer. There’s also optional bust and waist shaping included in the pattern if you want to make it even curvier.

This is considered an advanced beginner or intermediate project because of all the skills involved, but it’s sure to be a lot of fun even if some of these techniques are new to you.

Grab a copy of the pattern for yourself form Bea Creative Knits on Etsy. 

[Photo: Bea Creative Knits]