PieceWork Abbreviations

Looking for the meanings behind those abbreviations? You’ve come to the right place!

Piecework Editorial Staff Jan 6, 2022 - 5 min read

PieceWork Abbreviations Primary Image

Olga Fedorova’s classic pattern knitted in a variety of yarns; kid mohair and nylon; silk and camel; and handspun goat. Kim Wilson, a student of Galina A. Khmeleva, knitted the silk and camel sample; Valentina Fedorova knitted the others. This shawl pattern is featured in the Fall 2019 issue of PieceWork. Photo by Matt Graves

beg—begin(s); beginning

BO—bind off

Cables—See below

CC—contrasting color

ch—chain

cir—circular

cn—cable needle

CO—cast on

cont—continue(s); continuing

dc—double crochet

dc3tog—double crochet 3 stitches together

dec(s) (’d)—decrease(s); decreased; decreasing

dpn—double-pointed needle(s)

fsc—foundation single crochet

foll—follow(s); following

hdc—half double crochet

inc(s) (’d)—increase(s); increased; increasing

k—knit

kwise—knitwise; as if to knit

k1b—knit 1 in back of stitch

k1f&b—knit into the front and back of the same stitch—1 stitch increased

k2b—knit 2 in back of next 2 stitches kwise—knitwise; as if to knit

k2tog—knit 2 stitches together

k3tog—knit 3 stitches together

k5tog—knit 5 stitches together

LLI—insert left needle into back of the stitch below stitch just knitted, knit this stitch

lp(s)—loop(s)

m(s)—marker(s)

MC—main color

M1—make one (increase)

M1k—increase 1 by knitting into the front and then the back of the same stitch before slipping it off the left-hand needle

M1p—increase 1 by purling into the front and then the back of the same stitch before slipping it off the left-hand needle

M1L—(make 1 left) lift the running thread between the stitch just worked and the next stitch from front to back, and knit into the back of this thread

M1R—(make 1 right) lift the running thread between the stitch just worked and the next stitch from back to front, and knit into the front of this thread

p—purl

p1b—purl 1 in back of stitch

p2tog—purl 2 stitches together

p3tog—purl 3 stitches together

p4tog—purl 4 stitches together

p5tog—purl 5 stitches together

p7tog—purl 7 stitches together

patt—pattern(s)

pm—place marker

prev—previous

psso—pass slipped stitch over

p2sso—pass 2 slipped stitches over

pwise—purlwise; as if to purl

rem—remain(s); remaining

rep(s)—repeat(s); repeating

rev St st—reverse stockinette stitch (p rightside rows; k wrong-side rows)

RLI—knit into the back of stitch (in the “purl bump”) in the row directly below the stitch on the left needle

rnd(s)—round(s)

RS—right side

sc—single crochet

sc2tog—[insert hook in next stitch, yarn over and pull up loop] 2 times (3 loops on hook), yarn over and draw through all 3 loops on hook (1 stitch decreased)

sk—skip

skp—slip 1 knitwise, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over (1 stitch decreased)

sk2p—slip 1 knitwise, knit 2 stitches together, pass slipped stitch over (2 stitches decreased)

sl—slip

sl st—slip(ped) stitch

sp(s)—space(s)

ssk—slip 1 knitwise, slip 1 knitwise, knit 2 slipped stitches together through back loops (decrease)

sssk—slip 3 stitches one at a time as if to knit, insert the point of the left needle into front of slipped stitches, and knit these 3 stitches together through their back loops (decrease)

ssp—slip 1 knitwise, slip 1 knitwise, purl 2 slipped stitches together through back loops (decrease)

st(s)—stitch(es)

St st—stockinette stitch

tbl—through back loop

tch—turning chain

tog—together

tr—treble crochet

tr2tog—treble crochet 2 together

tr3tog—treble crochet 3 together

tr4tog—treble crochet 4 together

ttr—triple treble crochet

WS—wrong side

wyb—with yarn in back

wyf—with yarn in front

yo—yarnover

yo twice—bring yarn forward, wrap it counterclockwise around the right needle, and bring it forward again to make two wraps around the right needle

*—repeat starting point

( )—alternate measurements and/or instructions

[ ]—work bracketed instructions a specified number of times

Cables

Knitted cables can lean to the left (L) or right (R) and are typically created using a cable needle (cn). Cables can be worked using equal number of stitches, such as 2/2 or 1/1 in the following manner:

X/X LC—sl X sts to cn, hold in front, kX, kX from cn.

X/X RC—sl X sts to cn, hold in back, kX, kX from cn.

X/X LPC—sl X sts to cn, hold in front, kX, pX from cn.

X/X RPC—sl X sts to cn, hold in back, kX, pX from cn.

Cables can be worked using unequal number of stitches, such as 2/1 or 1/2 in the following manner:

X/Y LC—sl X sts to cn, hold in front, kY sts, kX from cn.

X/Y RC—sl X sts to cn, hold in back, kY sts, kX from cn.

The following combination of cables are found in the Subscriber access area of Spin Off epatterns Towline Hat:

1/1 RC—sl 1 st onto cn, hold in back, k1, k1 from cn

1/1 LC—sl 1 st onto cn, hold in front, k1, k1 from cn

1/1 RPC—sl 1 st onto cn, hold in back, k1, p1 from cn

1/1 LPC—sl 1 st onto cn, hold in front, p1, k1 from cn

2/1 RC—sl 1 st onto cn, hold in back, k2, k1 from cn

2/1 LC—sl 2 sts onto cn, hold in front, k1, k2 from cn

2/1 RPC—sl 1 st onto cn, hold in back, k2, p1 from cn

2/1 LPC—sl 2 sts onto cn, hold in front, p1, k2 from cn

2/2 RC—sl 2 sts onto cn, hold in back, k2, k2 from cn

2/2 LC—sl 2 sts onto cn, hold in front, k2, k2 from cn

2/2 RPC—sl 2 sts onto cn, hold in back, k2, p2 from cn

2/2 LPC—sl 2 sts onto cn, hold in front, p2, k2 from cn

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