It is best to get familiar with the knitting abbreviations for the pattern you choose. I found it is easiest to learn if you choose a simple pattern to get started.
Get to know a couple of stitches and than move on. Yes there are a lot of terms in some patterns that look like short hand. Not all abbreviations are stitches such as K=knit or P= purl. Some like YO mean yarn over or SS means slip stitch.
Here is a list of knitting abbreviations you may want to print off. This way if you pick a pattern you think is pretty basic and come across something strange you can check the list below.
No matter what pattern you choose, however fancy the stitches, there are only two stitches in knitting. Knit and purl, everything else is just a variation of one of these stitches. So do learn these two stitches and the entire world of knitting will be open to you.
approx beg BO CC CO cm cn cont dec dpn eor est inc k or K p2tog pm psso rem rep Rev St st RS rnd sm SSK slip 1, slip 1, sl sl 1, k1, psso slip 1, knit 1, st(s) St st stockinette stitch, tbl tog WS wyib wyif yfon yfrn yo yon yrn *
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approximately begin or beginning bind off contrasting color cast on, cast off centimeter cable needle continue decrease double pointed needles every other row established increase knit pass slipped stitch over knit 2 together knit 2 together through back loop main color make one millimeter purl purl 2 together purl 2 together through back loop pattern place marker pass slip stitch over remaining repeat reverse stockinette stitch right side round slip marker knit two together slip pass slipped st over stitch(es) stocking stitch through back loop(s) together wrong side with yarn in back with yarn in front yarn forward over needle yarn forward and round needle yarn over yarn over needle yarn round needle repeat instructions following or between asterisk as indicated repeat instructions inside brackets as indicated |
Knitting Abbreviations to Knitting