Knitting has its own writing method, so when you look at knitting patterns you may see a variety of unfamiliar terms and abbreviations. Once you know the following list of common knitting abbreviations, you're well on your way to easily translating knitting patterns:
| BO | bind off (cast off) |
| CC | contrasting color |
| cm | centimeters |
| cn | cable needle |
| CO | cast on |
| dec | decrease |
| dpn(s) | double-pointed needle(s) |
| g | grams |
| inc | increase |
| k | knit |
| k2tog | knit 2 together (a decrease) |
| kfb | -knit into the front and back of the stitch (an increase) |
| knitwise | as if to knit |
| LT | left twist |
| m | meters |
| m1 | make 1 (an increase) |
| MC | main color |
| mm | millimeters |
| oz | ounce |
| p | purl |
| p2tog | purl 2 together (a decrease) |
| pfb | -purl into the front and back of the stitch (an increase) |
| pm | place marker |
| psso | pass the slipped stitch over |
| purlwise | as if to purl |
| rnd(s) | round(s) |
| RS | right (public) side |
| RT | right twist |
| skp | -slip 1, knit 1, pass the slipped stitch over (a decrease) |
| s2kp | -slip 2, knit 1, pass the 2 slipped stitches over (a double decrease) |
| sk2p | -slip 1, k2tog, pass the slipped stitch over (a double decrease) |
| sl | slip |
| sl st | slip stitch |
| ssk | slip, slip, knit (a decrease) |
| st(s) | stitch(es) |
| tbl | through the back loop(s) |
| tog | together |
| work even | work without increasing or decreasing |
| WS | wrong (non-public) side |
| wyib | with yarn in back |
| wyif | with yarn in front |
| yd(s) | yard(s) |
| yo | yarn over (an increase) |