How to Read a Knitting Pattern

What do the abbreviations mean?

Knitting patterns use short codes so a row fits on one line instead of a paragraph. You do not need to memorize them, because every good pattern includes a key.

These are the ones you will see in almost every pattern:

1. k: knit
2. p: purl
3. st / sts: stitch / stitches
4. CO: cast on (UK: cast on) and BO: bind off (UK: cast off)
5. RS / WS: right side / wrong side of the work
6. yo: yarn over, which adds a stitch and a small eyelet
7. k2tog: knit two together, a right-leaning decrease
8. ssk: slip, slip, knit, the left-leaning mirror of k2tog
9. rep: repeat, and rnd: round

How do you read the numbers and repeats?

Patterns use symbols to avoid writing the same thing over and over, and reading them is most of the skill.

A line like "K2, *k2tog, yo, k1; rep from * to last 2 sts, k2" means: knit 2, then repeat the starred group across, then knit the last 2. Say it once slowly before you start.

1. Asterisks (*) mark a section to repeat until the row runs out or a set number of times.
2. Brackets or parentheses group stitches that repeat together, like "(k1, p1) 3 times."
3. A number at the end of a row, like (24 sts), is your stitch count. Stop and check against it before moving on.

What do gauge and needle size tell you?

Gauge, called tension in UK patterns, tells you how many stitches and rows fit in a 4 inch square with the recommended yarn and needles. If your gauge does not match, a finished sweater comes out the wrong size.

Knit a swatch and measure it before you commit to a fitted project. If you have too many stitches per inch, go up a needle size. Too few, go down. For a scarf or blanket, gauge matters less, so you can often just cast on.

Charts or written instructions: which do you follow?

Many patterns give both a written version and a chart, and they say the same thing. Pick whichever you find easier to read.

On a chart, each square is a stitch and a key explains the symbols. Read right-side rows from right to left and wrong-side rows from left to right, the way the fabric grows. Written instructions are read top to bottom, one row at a time.

How do you keep your place?

Losing your place is the most common reason a project stalls, especially in a long stockinette stretch or a lace repeat where every row looks similar. Use a stitch marker to separate repeats, and count your stitches after any row with increases or decreases.

Some knitters keep a paper tally or a click counter. Others use an app like Worsted to count rows, hold the pattern PDF open on the same screen, and note the yarn from their stash, so picking a project back up after a week is not a guessing game.