Crochet and Knitting Abbreviations

This Mother's Day weekend I would like to pay homage to a woman who taught me to knit, crochet, and to value hard work, my grandmother. Among my many treasures is a shawl she crocheted for me. I saw a picture in a magazine and showed it to her. The next day there was a finished product, although a little different (OK, a lot different) than the magazine photo. When I asked her about it she said she couldn't make heads or tails of the pattern so she made her own.

Freida Greenberg Askwith in a rare beach photo. Rare because she was  redhead  with freckles so she'd limit her sun exposure. Cool sunglasses. Hot temper. Loved her grand kids. 

Knowing how to read a crochet or knitting pattern can mean the difference between a beautiful finished project and an unfinished one (UFO). Then again, you might be like Nanny and make an original pattern (or like me and have another UFO).  With that in mind, I thought it would be a good idea to share some common abbreviations used in patterns. I found these abbreviations in a book from Coats and Clark, the maker of wonderful yarn and thread. Hope they help

beg...................................begin(ning)

CA, CB, CC, etc.............Color A, B, C, etc

ch....................................chain

dc....................................double crochet

dec..................................decrease

hdc...................................half double crochet

inc....................................increase

K.....................................knit

K2tog..............................knit 2 together (dec)

lp(s).................................loop(s)

mm..................................millimeters

P.....................................purl

pat..................................pattern

rem.................................remaining

rep.................................repeat

rnd(s).............................round(s)

RS.................................right side

sc..................................single crochet

sk..................................skip

sl...................................slip 

sl st................................slip stitch

sp(s)..............................space(s)

st(s)...............................stitch(es)

St st...............................stockinette stitch (knit right side rows, Purl wrong side rows)

tog.................................together

WS................................wrong side

yo..................................yarn over

Post by Miss Eileen aka GoofingOff

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