Friday, April 15, 2005

Abbreviations

Here is a list of common abbreviations I use in my patterns:

am = adjust mount = slip 1 purlwise, slip back to left-hand needle knitwise
am2 = adjust mount of two stitches = slip 2 purlwise, slip back to left-hand needle knitwise individually
BC# = slip next half of # sts onto cable needle, hold in back, knit next half of # sts, knit sts from cable needle
beg = beginning
BO = bind off
circ = circular needle
cm = centimeters
cn = cable needle
CO = cast on
cont = continue
dec = decrease
dist = distribute
dpns = double-pointed needles
est = established
FC# = slip next half of # sts onto cable needle, hold in front, knit next half of # sts, knit sts from cable needle
ft = foot/feet
g = grams
in = inches
inc = increase
k = knit
k2tog = knit 2 together = insert needle into two stitches at once and knit as one stitch
k3tog = knit 3 together = insert needle into three stitches at once and knit as one stitch
kfb = knit front & back = knit 1 but do not slip old stitch off left needle, knit into back of same stitch, then slip old stitch off left needle
ksp = knit, slip, pass over = knit 1, slip it back to left needle, use right needle to pass second stitch on left needle over this stitch and off needle, slip stitch back to right needle to continue working
m = meter(s)
m1 = see m1L
m1L = make 1 left = pick up bar between the st just worked and the next st by inserting left needle under it from front to back, knit into back of this new stitch
m1Lp = make 1 left purlwise = pick up bar between the st just worked and the next st by inserting left needle under it from front to back, purl into back of this new stitch
m1R = make 1 right = pick up bar between the st just worked and the next st by inserting left needle under it from back to front, knit this new stitch
m1Rp = make 1 right purlwise= pick up bar between the st just worked and the next st by inserting left needle under it from back to front, purl this new stitch
mm = millimeters
oz = ounces
p = purl
p2tog = purl 2 together = insert needle purlwise into two stitches at once and purl as one stitch
p3tog = purl 3 together = insert needle purlwise into three stitches at once and purl as one stitch
patt = pattern
pfb = purl front & back = purl 1 but do not slip old stitch off left needle, purl into back of same stitch, then slip old stitch off left needle
pm = place marker
psso = pass slipped stitch over
rem = remain(ing)
rep = repeat
rnd(s) = round(s)
RS = right side
sk2p = slip, knit 2 together, pass over = slip 1 knitwise, knit next two stitches together, use left needle to pass slipped stitch over knitted stitch and off needle
skp = slip, knit, pass over = slip 1 knitwise, knit next stitch, use left needle to pass slipped stitch over knitted stitch and off needle
sl1 = slip 1, purlwise unless otherwise noted
sm = slip marker
ssk = slip, slip, knit = slip 1 knitwise twice, knit these 2 together through back loop
ssp = slip, slip, purl = slip 1 knitwise twice, purl these 2 together through back loop
sssk = slip, slip, slip, knit = slip 1 knitwise thrice, knit these 3 together through back loop
sssp = slip, slip, slip, purl = slip 1 knitwise thrice, purl these 3 together through back loop
st(s) = stitch(es)
stst = stockinette stich = knit 1 row, purl 1 row if working back and forth; knit every round if working in the round
tbl = through back loop
tog = together
w&t = wrap and turn = if knitting, bring yarn to front between needles, slip next stitch as it to purl, bring yarn to back between needles, slip wrapped stitch back to left needle; if purling, bring yarn to back between needles, slip next stitch as it to purl, bring yarn to front between needles, slip wrapped stitch back to left needle
WS = wrong side
wyib = with yarn in back
wyif = with yarn in front
yd(s) = yard(s)
yo = yarn over = if knitting, bring yarn to front between needles, then up and over right needle and to the back of work; if purling, bring yarn up and over right needle and to the back of work, then to front between needles
yo-b = yarn over backward = if knitting, bring yarn up and over right needle, then between needles to back of work; if purling, bring yarn to back between needles, then up and over right needle to front of work

28 comments:

  1. I don't understand ssk. can you clarify that? I'm a beginner knitter. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Insert your right needle into the next stitch as if you were going to knit it, but just slip it from one needle to the other. Do this again with the next stitch. Insert your left needle through both of these stitches from left to right, wrap the yarn around the right needle tip and pull it through, dropping the two old stitches off the needle.

    Hope that helps, but if not there's a handy video here.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi carissa i would like to know how to make the decrease in a mitered square go in a particular direction. I have completed 3 quarters of a square and am having trouble making the last one go the right way (WITH OUT SEWING THEM TOGETHER) CAN YOU HELP PLEASE?? I want a left facing sq with the decrease going from top right to bottom left - any ideas?? I have seen your instruction for the right and left but which way do the decreases go with out making them up to find out thanks meriel

    ReplyDelete
  4. I may be misreading your question, but I interpret it one of two ways:

    If you mean you're trying to make something like this and only need the top right square to go, then I'm afraid the only way to join as you go would be just as tedious as sewing them together afterward. You'd have to pick up a stitch from the neighboring blocks at the end of each row and immediately knit it together with the first stitch of the next row.

    If you mean you're trying to get the decreases in the center to all point one direction, like this, you'll need to do a double decrease in the center like slip two together as if to knit, slip one as if to knit, then knit all three together through the back loop (similar to a ssk, but slip two stitches the first time). Or if you have an even number of stitches, you could do a k2tog followed by a ssk in the center.

    Hope this helps.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Carissa,
    I,m not sure I understand the p21...could you please explain.
    Thank you,
    maddknitter ;}

    ReplyDelete
  6. "p" stands for purl, so just purl the number of stitches following the "p". In this case, you'll purl the next 21 stitches. Does that help?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Maddknitter here,
    Thanks...I thought there was some formula, like p2 and then something to do w/ the 1 stitch...silly me. And, yes, very helpful...I feel like such a ditz!
    Again, thanks. ;}

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi!

    I wanted to clarify your "make one right/left" : you say, insert left needle "between next 2 stitches"... but as far as I understand, when increasing, you insert the left needle under the bar between the needles. Is this the same thing? To me, "next 2 stitches" would be the next 2 on the left needle - which would be impossible to lift with the left needle!

    I'm going to knit your Heelhead scarf soon. =)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Yes, you're correct - it should be the bar between the two needle tips. I've reworded the explanation to clarify. Thanks for pointing that out.

    ReplyDelete
  10. In one of your patterns, the directions say "*s". What does this mean?

    ReplyDelete
  11. I'm not sure exactly to what pattern you are referring. But if I used it in the phrase "repeat between *s", then it means whatever was written in between the asterisks earlier in the pattern should be repeated for the specified number of times. If that doesn't answer your question, just let me know which pattern you mean, and I'll be able to be more specific.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Do you have a video for m1Lp/ m1Rp? I'm making the ribbon hat & I'm not able to make sense of this knit. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  13. The first and third pictures here demonstrate a m1Lp, which I feel is the trickier of the two. And here or here is a m1Rp, which they just call "make one purlwise".

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Carissa, I'm currently trying to knit your heelhead scarf and don't know what you mean by the slip marker stitch. What do i need to do there?
    Cheers

    ReplyDelete
  15. sorry me again! What is a cable needle? would this be a third needle used as a holding needle as i complete the rest of the instructions?

    ReplyDelete
  16. Slip marker means to simply move your marker from one needle to the other, so it stays in the same place for the next row.

    ReplyDelete
  17. A cable needle is just a short double-pointed needle, sometimes with a curve to it, used to hold some stitches while you knit/purl others in order to make a cable.

    ReplyDelete
  18. hi..i am going to knit the r2d2 beanie. I am not sure how to do the duplicate stitching, if I don't follow the pattern. What do you recommend. Looks like a fun thing to knit for my "Trekkie" son in law....Judy from Saskatchewan

    ReplyDelete
  19. Here's a handy tutorial on duplicate stitch, and another. Hope that helps!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hi Carissa... I am making your HEELHEAD SCARF and so far so good, lovving the pattern... BUT I am stuck on "am" adjust mount.. Reading the "abbreviations instructions" I just feel like I suppose to move a stitch to the right needle then back to the left????? Don't understand the purpose... Can you clarify???

    ReplyDelete
  21. am (or adjust mount) just means that you want to twist the stitch around to be situated correctly on the needle.

    First, you'll insert your right-hand needle into the next stitch as if to purl, but just slip it to the right-hand needle. Then you'll insert your left-hand needle into the same stitch from right to left through the front leg of the stitch, and slip it back to the left needle that direction.

    So yes, you're right, you are just slipping one stitch back and forth, but you'll be twisting it as you do so.

    Hope that helps!

    ReplyDelete
  22. It calls for a FC4 and don't tell how to do it. It only has directions for FC3 I'm not sure how many sts to put on the cable needle.

    ReplyDelete
  23. KNIT PINK Hat
    fc2??
    fc 3 I know how to do this with the patern but how do you do fc2
    is this the small cable that is in betweeen the fc3 .cables

    how do i do a fc2
    thank you

    ReplyDelete
  24. This Abbreviations page includes all of my frequently-used abbreviations. Anything that only appears in my patterns occasionally, I will include at the beginning of the particular pattern that uses it.

    For example, my Pink Ribbon Hat includes instructions in the Special Abbreviations section for a FC3 and BC3 because this hat is the only one of my patterns that incorporates that stitch. However, I used even-numbered cables quite often, so you will find FC# and BC# (which apply anytime # is an even number) here, on my Abbreviations page:
    BC# = slip next half of # sts onto cable needle, hold in back, knit next half of # sts, knit sts from cable needle
    FC# = slip next half of # sts onto cable needle, hold in front, knit next half of # sts, knit sts from cable needle

    So if you want to do FC4, you slip half that number (2 sts) onto your cable needle, hold those in front while you knit the next 2 sts, then knit the 2 sts from the cable needle.
    The same holds true for FC2 - slip 1 st to cable needle, knit 1 st, then knit 1 st from cable needle.

    ReplyDelete
  25. can you explain wrap and turn? referring to the lego mittens round 5.

    thanks!
    Gina

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sure, Gina, I'll do my best!

      The instructions from above are...
      w&t = wrap and turn = if knitting, bring yarn to front between needles, slip next stitch as it to purl, bring yarn to back between needles, slip wrapped stitch back to left needle; if purling, bring yarn to back between needles, slip next stitch as it to purl, bring yarn to front between needles, slip wrapped stitch back to left needle

      So basically, you're just wrapping the yarn around the next stitch on the left needle, then turning your work around to start back the other direction. Later, when you work that wrapped stitch again, you'll pick up the wrap and knit/purl it together with the stitch it's wrapped around. This method helps close the gaps that would otherwise form at the ends of short-rows.

      Please let me know if that's still unclear, and I'll give it another go!

      Delete
  26. in all patterns is it purl inbetween knit rows

    ReplyDelete
  27. I’m knitting your heel head scarf. It’s a beautiful pattern by the way! I’m not sure if I’m understanding the increasing short rows. It says to 1.yo, k25,am,k2tog turn
    I understand how to yo, k25, & am. It’s the k2tog(I know how, I’m not sure WHICH 2 to knit together)? Help. I only have the special stitches that are left from the decreasing short rows. Are these the stitches I’m to knit together? Please advise, I’m stuck here! Thanks...

    ReplyDelete