Here is a list of over 80 popular symbols used in advanced knitting patterns to represent various stitches, techniques, and instructions that are essential for creating complex knitting projects.
Special symbols |
Dictionary of Knitting Symbols |
| Symbol | Abb | Explanation |
| Co | Cast on | |
| Bo | Bind off | |
| M | Place marker | |
| Sm | Slip marker | |
| Move marker left | ||
| Move marker right | ||
| Short row right | ||
| Short row left | ||
| Turn to wrong side | ||
| Turn to right side | ||
| Bunny ears dec Bunny ears dec | ||
| N | Nupp | |
| B | Bobble | |
| K elong |
Knit Elongated | |
| E-co | Cast on elongated |
Basic symbols |
Dictionary of Knitting Symbols |
| K |
Knit | |
| P | Purl | |
| K tbl |
Knit through the back loop | |
| P tbl | Purl through the back loop | |
| M1 | Make one stitch | |
| M1p | Make one purlwise | |
| M1l | Make one left | |
| M1r | Make one right | |
| M1lp | Make one purlwise left leaning | |
| M1rp | Make one purlwise right leaning | |
| Sl wyib | Slip stitch with yarn in back | |
| Sl wyif | Slip stitch with yarn in front |
| K1b |
Knit 1 below | |
| K2b |
Knit 2 below | |
| K3b |
Knit 3 below |
| Cluster stitches | ||
| Wrap stitches | ||
| Yarn over, knit st/sts, pass yarn over over knitted st/sts |
Yarn over symbols |
Dictionary of Knitting Symbols |
| Yo | Yarn over | |
| Yo x2 | Yarn over twice | |
| Yo x3 | Yarn over three times | |
| Kyok | Knit one, yarn over, knit one in the same stitch | |
| Pyop | Purl 1, yarn over, purl 1 in the same stitch |
Increase symbols |
Dictionary of Knitting Symbols |
| incto2 | - (knit 1, purl 1) in one stitch - (purl 1, knit 1) in one stitch |
|
| incto2 | - (knit 1, purl 1) in one stitch - (purl 1, knit 1) in one stitch |
|
| incto3 | Increase 1 to 3 | |
| incto3 | Increase 1 to 3 | |
| incto4 | Increase 1 to 4 | |
| incto5 | Increase 1 to 5 |
Decrease symbols |
Dictionary of Knitting Symbols |
| Ssk | Slip slip knit | |
| K2tog | Knit two stitches together | |
| Twisted ssk | Twisted slip slip knit | |
| Twisted k2tog | Twisted knit two stitches together | |
| Ssp | Slip slip purl | |
| P2tog | Purl two stitches together | |
| Sssk Sk2p |
Slip slip slip knit Slip stitch, knit two together, pass slipped stitch over |
|
| K3tog | Knit three stitches together | |
| Sssp | Slip slip slip purl | |
| P3tog | Purl three stitches together | |
| S2kp | Slip two stitches knitwise, knit one, pass slipped stitches over |
| Ssk nupp | ||
| K2tog nupp |
| sl2 p1 p2sso | Slip 2 purl 1 pass 2 slipped stitches over | |
| K4tog | Knit 4 together | |
| K5tog | Knit 5 together | |
| K7tog | Knit 7 together |
Gathered symbols |
Dictionary of Knitting Symbols |
| 2-2 | 2 into 2 gathered | |
| 3-3 | 3 into 3 gathered | |
| 5-5 | 5 into 5 gathered | |
| 2-6 | 2 into 6 gathered | |
| 5-7 | 5 into 7 gathered | |
| 7-3 | 7 into 3 gathered |
| 2-2 tbl | 2 into 2 gathered through the back loop | |
| 3-2 tbl | 3 into 2 gathered through the back loop | |
| 3-3 tbl | 3 into 3 gathered through the back loop | |
| 3-4 tbl | 3 into 4 gathered through the back loop | |
| 5-2 tbl | 5 into 2 gathered through the back loop | |
| 3-5 tbl | 3 into 5 gathered through the back loop | |
| 5-3 tbl | 5 into 3 gathered through the back loop | |
| 5-7 tbl | 5 into 7 gathered through the back loop |
Cable symbols |
Explanation |
| 1/1 Left cross | |
| 1/1 Right cross | |
| 1/1 Left purl cross | |
| 1/1 Right purl cross | |
