Knitting & Crocheting Glossary: S

schematic: A small outline drawing of each piece of a knitted or crocheted project pattern.

seam: 1. (verb) Joining two pieces of material with a line of stitches. 2. (noun) The line along which two pieces of material are joined.

seed: A knitting stitch that has a regular texture of little bumps that look a bit like seeds.

selvedge: An extra stitch at the edge of your knitted fabric that (in combination with others) serves to create an even, stable border. Also spelled selvage.

sew: To join or fasten with stitches using a sewing needle and thread.

shaft: The portion of a crochet hook that holds the loops you're working with; its diameter largely determines the size of the stitches.

shank: A projection, such as a ring, on the back of a button by which you sew it onto a fabric.

shell: A crochet stitch that involves working from 3 to 5 double crochet stitches all in the same stitch; the pattern looks like a seashell.

silk: A yarn material made from the soft, shiny fiber produced by silkworms from their cocoons.

single crochet ribbing: A long crocheted strip of very short vertical single crochet rows.

single crochet; sc: A compact, fundamental crochet stitch that creates a tight, dense fabric. Compare with double crochet.

skein: The most common form of yarn packaging; an oblong, machine-wound bundle of yarn.

slip: To move a stitch from one knitting needle to the other without working that stitch.

slip knot: The first stitch you form on your knitting needle or crochet hook to begin a project.

slip stitch; sl st: A flat or small knitting or crochet stitch that you use mostly as a utility stitch or a technique for activities like making a seam or joining a new ball of yarn.

space: The opening in a piece of crochetwork created by working 1 or more chain stitches in between other stitches.

spray block: A process to block your crochetwork or knitting by spraying the fabric with water to dampen it, then laying the fabric in the intended shape.

ssk: A knitting stitch pattern abbreviation for slip, slip, knit the slip stitches together, which creates a left-slanting decrease.

starch: A tasteless, odorless substance used to stiffen and shape fabrics.

steam block: Using a steam iron to block the shape of a knitted or crocheted piece.

steek: A shortcut used to open up a knitted tube in which you sew or crochet two vertical lines of stitches an inch or so apart, then cut the stitches that fall between those lines.

stitch marker: A small ring that you add to your knitting or crochet work to remind you where you need to make a change to your needlework, such as the beginning of a round or the spot to work an increase.

stitch; st: A single loop of yarn worked off a needle in knitting or crocheting.

stockinette stitch; St st: A knitting stitch which you create by alternating a knit row with a purl row.

surface crochet: To crochet, generally with yarn, onto a crocheted background; resembles embroidery.

swatch: 1. (verb) To make a sample of knitted fabric for various reasons, including measuring gauge and practice. 2. (noun) The knitted fabric sample created by swatching.

swift: A tool that looks like a wooden umbrella, which is specially designed to help untwist a hank of yarn.