Knitting Definitions
Basic Stitches
Insert right needle in next stitch as if to purl (unless otherwise indicated), and slip it from the left needle onto the right needle.
Wrap yarn from front to back over the right needle - 1 stitch increased (if the yo is used as a stand-alone stitch).
Brioche
Knit next st together with the strand of yarn above it, formed by a yarn-over on the previous row.
Purl next st together with the strand of yarn above it, formed by a yarn-over on the previous row.
Cable Stitches
Slip 1 stitch onto cable needle and hold in front, knit 1 stitch from left needle, then knit 1 stitch from cable needle.
Slip 1 stitch onto cable needle and hold in front, purl 1 stitch from left needle, then knit 1 stitch from cable needle.
Slip 1 stitch onto cable needle and hold in back, knit 1 stitch from left needle, then knit 1 stitch from cable needle.
Slip 1 stitch onto cable needle and hold in back, knit 1 stitch from left needle, then purl 1 stitch from cable needle.
Requires the use of two cable needles simultaneously. Slip 1 stitch onto cable needle and hold in front, slip 1 stitch onto a second cable needle and hold in back, knit 1 stitch from left needle, knit 1 stitch from back cable needle, then knit 1 stitch from front cable needle.
Requires the use of two cable needles simultaneously. Slip 1 stitch onto cable needle and hold in front, slip 1 stitch onto a second cable needle and hold in back, purl 1 stitch from left needle, knit 1 stitch from back cable needle, then knit 1 stitch from front cable needle.
Requires the use of two cable needles simultaneously. Slip 1 stitch onto cable needle and hold in back, slip 1 stitch onto a second cable needle and hold in back of first cable needle, knit 1 stitch from left needle, knit 1 stitch from backmost cable needle, then knit 1 stitch from remaining cable needle.
Requires the use of two cable needles simultaneously. Slip 1 stitch onto cable needle and hold in back, slip 1 stitch onto a second cable needle and hold in back of first cable needle, knit 1 stitch from left needle, purl 1 stitch from backmost cable needle, then knit 1 stitch from remaining cable needle.
Slip 1 stitch onto cable needle and hold in front, knit 2 stitches from left needle, then knit 1 stitch from cable needle.
Slip 1 stitch onto cable needle and hold in front, purl 2 stitches from left needle, then knit 1 stitch from cable needle.
Slip 2 stitches onto cable needle and hold in back, knit 1 stitch from left needle, then knit 2 stitches from cable needle.
Slip 2 stitches onto cable needle and hold in back, knit 1 stitch from left needle, then purl 2 stitches from cable needle.
Slip 2 stitches onto cable needle and hold in front, knit 1 stitch from left needle, then knit 2 stitches from cable needle.
Slip 2 stitches onto cable needle and hold in front, purl 1 stitch from left needle, then knit 2 stitches from cable needle.
Slip 1 stitch onto cable needle and hold in back, knit 2 stitches from left needle, then knit 1 stitch from cable needle.
Slip 1 stitch onto cable needle and hold in back, knit 2 stitches from left needle, then purl 1 stitch from cable needle.
Requires the use of two cable needles simultaneously. Slip 2 stitches onto cable needle and hold in back, slip 1 stitch onto a second cable needle and hold in back of first cable needle, knit 2 stitches from left needle, knit 1 stitch from backmost cable needle, then knit 2 stitches from remaining cable needle.
Requires the use of two cable needles simultaneously. Slip 2 stitches onto cable needle and hold in back, slip 1 stitch onto a second cable needle and hold in back of first cable needle, knit 2 stitches from left needle, purl 1 stitch from backmost cable needle, then knit 2 stitches from remaining cable needle.
Requires the use of two cable needles simultaneously. Slip 2 stitches onto cable needle and hold in front, slip 1 stitch onto a second cable needle and hold in back, knit 2 stitches from left needle, knit 1 stitch from back cable needle, then knit 2 stitches from front cable needle.
Requires the use of two cable needles simultaneously. Slip 2 stitches onto cable needle and hold in front, slip 1 stitch onto a second cable needle and hold in back, knit 2 stitches from left needle, purl 1 stitch from back cable needle, then knit 2 stitches from front cable needle.
Slip 2 stitches onto cable needle and hold in front, knit 2 stitches from left needle, then knit 2 stitches from cable needle.
Slip 2 stitches onto cable needle and hold in front, purl 2 stitches from left needle, then knit 2 stitches from cable needle.
Slip 2 stitches onto cable needle and hold in back, knit 2 stitches from left needle, then knit 2 stitches from cable needle.
Slip 2 stitches onto cable needle and hold in back, knit 2 stitches from left needle, then purl 2 stitches from cable needle.
Slip 3 stitches onto cable needle and hold in front, knit 3 stitches from left needle, then knit 3 stitches from cable needle.
Slip 3 stitches onto cable needle and hold in front, purl 3 stitches from left needle, then knit 3 stitches from cable needle.
Slip 3 stitches onto cable needle and hold in back, knit 3 stitches from left needle, then knit 3 stitches from cable needle.
Slip 3 stitches onto cable needle and hold in back, knit 3 stitches from left needle, then purl 3 stitches from cable needle.
Skip one stitch, knit next stitch without dropping it off the needle, knit the skipped st, then drop both stitches from the right needle together.
Skip one stitch, knit next stitch through the back loop without dropping it off the needle, knit the skipped stitch, then drop both stitches from the right needle together.
Decreases
Slip next 2 stitches knitwise at the same time, knit next stitch, pass slipped stitches over knit stitch (same as S2kp) - 2 stitches decreased.
Knit 3 stitches together - 2 stitches decreased.
Knit 2 stitches together - 1 stitch decreased.
Purl 2 stitches together - 1 stitch decreased.
Purl 3 stitches together - 2 stitches decreased.
Slip next 2 stitches knitwise at the same time, knit next stitch, pass slipped stitches over knit stitch (same as CDD).
Slip next stitch knitwise, knit next 2 stitches together, pass slipped stitch over knit stitch.
Slip next stitch knitwise, knit next stitch, pass slipped stitch over knit stitch.
Slip 2 stitches, one at a time, as if to knit. Insert left needle into the front of these 2 stitches and knit them together from this position - 1 stitch decreased.
Slip 2 stitches, one at a time, as if to knit, then slip them back onto the left needle without changing their orientation. Purl these 2 stitches together through the back loop - 1 stitch decreased.
Slip 3 stitches, one at a time, as if to knit. Insert left needle into the front of these 3 stitches and knit them together from this position - 2 stitches decreased.
Slip 3 stitches, one at a time, as if to knit, then slip them back onto the left needle without changing their orientation. Purl these 3 stitches together through the back loop - 2 stitches decreased.
Increases
Knit through front and back of next stitch - 1 stitch increased.
Knit through front, back, and front of next stitch - 2 stitches increased.
Insert tip of left needle from back to front into the left leg of the second stitch down from stitch on right needle (the grandmother stitch), knit it through the back leg - 1 stitch increased.
With tip of left needle, pick up the horizontal strand between stitches from front to back. Knit (or purl, as indicated) this strand through the back leg, twisting it into a loop in the process - 1 stitch increased.
With tip of left needle, pick up the horizontal strand between stitches from front to back. Knit this strand through the back leg, twisting it into a loop in the process - 1 stitch increased.
With tip of left needle, pick up the horizontal strand between stitches from front to back. Knit this strand through the back leg, twisting it into a loop in the process - 1 stitch increased.
With tip of left needle, pick up the horizontal strand between stitches from back to front. Knit this strand, twisting it into a loop in the process - 1 stitch increased.
With tip of left needle, pick up the horizontal strand between stitches from front to back. Knit (or purl, as indicated) this strand through the back leg, twisting it into a loop in the process - 1 stitch increased.
With tip of left needle, pick up the horizontal strand between stitches from front to back. Purl this strand through the back leg, twisting it into a loop in the process - 1 stitch increased.
With tip of left needle, pick up the horizontal strand between stitches from front to back. Purl this strand through the back leg, twisting it into a loop in the process - 1 stitch increased.
With tip of left needle, pick up the horizontal strand between stitches from back to front. Purl this strand, twisting it into a loop in the process - 1 stitch increased.
With tip of left needle, pick up the horizontal strand between stitches from back to front. Knit (or purl, as indicated) this strand, twisting it into a loop in the process - 1 stitch increased.
Purl through front and back of next stitch - 1 stitch increased.
Purl through front, back and front of next stitch - 2 stitches increased.
Insert tip of right needle into the right leg of the stitch directly under stitch on left needle (the mother stitch), lift the leg onto the left needle, and knit it - 1 stitch increased.
Non-Stitch Intructions
Repeat directions inside of brackets the number of times indicated
Perform stitches inside of parentheses in stitch indicated
Pass a stitch that was previously slipped over other stitch(es) as indicated.
Place a stitch marker on the needle or in the fabric as indicated.
Slip stitch marker from left needle to right needle.
Knit (or purl, as indicated) next stitch working through the back leg instead of the front leg of the stitch.
Work next stitch or instruction (usually a slip stitch) with yarn held in back of the work.
Work next stitch or instruction (usually a slip stitch) with yarn held in front of the work.
Bring yarn to the back between the two needles.
Bring yarn to the front between the two needles.
Non-Stitch Terms
Used in circular knitting when the circumference of the piece is too small for circular needles.
This is the front of the fabric or outside of your project.
This is the back of the fabric or inside of your project.
Stitch Patterns
Knit every row.
Knit on right-side rows, purl on wrong-side rows.
Techniques
Work (knit or purl, as indicated) 2 stitches, * pass first stitch over second stitch and off the right needle, work next stitch; repeat from * until 1 stitch remains, fasten off final stitch.
Loosen next stitch, [knit into the front, then back] twice, then front again of loosened stitch, turn - 5 sts; Purl 5, turn; with left needle, pass second, third, fourth and fifth stitches 1 at a time over the first stitch and off the right needle—1 stitch remains, Bobble made.
Insert needle, from front to back, in indicated stitch or space in fabric; wrap yarn around needle as if to knit; use tip of needle to pull yarn through to the front of the fabric.
Used in creating short rows as follows:
On a Knit row: With yarn in back, slip next stitch purlwise, bring yarn to front of work, return slipped stitch to left needle, bring yarn to back of work, then turn work.
On a Purl row: With yarn in front, slip next stitch purlwise, bring yarn to back of work, return slipped stitch to left needle, bring yarn to front of work, then turn work.
When arriving at wrapped stitch later in the pattern, knit it (or purl it, as indicated) together with its wrap.