Knitting Glossary

The basic stitch. Yarn held at the back, needle enters from the front.

Yarn held at the front, needle enters from the back. The reverse of a knit stitch.

A single loop on the needle. The counting unit in patterns.

Creating the first row of stitches. Long-tail is the most common method.

Finishing the work by passing stitches over one another so they don't unravel.

The public-facing side and the inner side of the fabric.

Repeat the section inside brackets or between asterisks.

A round is worked in the round; a row is worked flat, turning at each end.

The dominant yarn color and the accent color in colorwork.

Short needles pointed at both ends, used for small circumferences.

A short needle that holds stitches to the front or back while cabling.

Put a marker on the needle, then move it across as you reach it.

Work into the back leg of the stitch. The stitch twists and tightens.

Move the stitch to the right needle without working it.

Usually paired with slipped stitches; controls whether the float shows.

Wrap the yarn over the needle to add a stitch. Leaves an eyelet, the basis of lace.

Create new stitches along a finished edge, as for a neckband.

Knit two stitches as one. Decreases one stitch and leans right.

Purl two stitches as one. Mirrors k2tog on the right side.

Knit three as one. Decreases two stitches, leaning right.

Slip two stitches knitwise one at a time, then knit them together. The mirror of k2tog.

The purl-side version of ssk, worked through the back loops.

Slip one, knit one, pass the slipped stitch over. Leans left.

A double decrease that removes two stitches and leans left.

Slip two together knitwise, knit one, pass both over. The center stitch sits on top.

Lift the slipped stitch over the one just worked.

General terms for adding or removing stitches.

Lift the bar between stitches to make a new stitch. Defaults to M1L when unspecified.

Lift the bar front to back, knit through the back loop. Leans left.

Lift the bar back to front, knit through the front loop. Leans right.

Same lift as M1 but worked as a purl, used on the wrong side.

Knit into the front and then the back of one stitch. Leaves a small bump.

The purl version of kfb.

Hold two stitches at the front, knit two, then knit the held stitches. Twists left.

Hold two stitches at the back and work. Twists right. The number is the total stitches involved.

A two-stitch cable worked without a cable needle.

Short-row technique: wrap a stitch, turn, and later knit the wrap with its stitch.

Pull the yarn to make one stitch look like two. Simpler than w&t.

Knit every row. Ridged, reversible, and lies flat.

Knit on the right side, purl on the wrong side. Curls at the edges.

Alternating knits and purls. Stretchy, used for cuffs and necklines.

Alternating knits and purls offset each row. Bumpy and reversible.

Knit into the back loop to twist the stitch, common in twisted ribbing.

A narrow tube made by knitting a few stitches without turning.

Graft live stitches with a tapestry needle for an invisible seam.

Bind off two sets of live stitches together, often at the shoulders.

Stitches and rows per 10cm. Swatch first or the size will be off.

Wet and pin the finished piece to open up the stitch pattern.