Day 173 - How to Read a Knitting Pattern

September 19th, 2012

How to Read a Knitting Pattern

The pattern will indicate the size of yarn and needles you will need to complete the project. Remember if you change the yarn or needle size you will change the gauge of the project and the garment may turn out larger or smaller than you intended. Knitting a swatch, a knitted test square, will best tell you if you have the right size needles and yarn. Make sure the gauge matches the pattern, example the pattern says 10 stitches equal 4 inches, but you need 12 stitches you need neither big yarn or needles or both.

 

When buying yarn a good rule is to buy at least one extra ball with the same dye lot number. (dye lot number- is located on the tag. All balls of yarn with matching dye lot numbers were dyed around the same time with the same dye. Possibly in the same vat. This ensure the colour is consistent.)

 

Knitting patterns are written by the row. Even when working in the round (Working in the Round is simply that. Knitting in a continuous circle.) with circular needles or DPSs, there is still a beginning and end to each row.Patterns are written in abbreviations, otherwise they would be way too long. 

K is knit, P is purl etc. Each letter is a stitch. When a number comes directly after the letter, this indicates multiples of the same stitches. Example, K5 means knit 5 stitches. An Astrix * or bracket in a pattern indicates repeating a sequence. A sequence should also be repeated if indicated by "X times" as in K5 P3 X 5. 

Abbreviation chart - includes but not limited to

k - knit.

p - purl.

kfb - knit front then back, this causes a bar increase.

k2tog - knit 2 together, put your working needle into 2 stitches instead of 1 & then knitting them together as if  they were 1 stitch, causing a decrease.

sl - slip a stitch.

St st - stockinette stitch; knit 1 row,  turn then purl the following row, turn, repeat as required if using 2 needles, if knitting in the round, knit every round, no turning required.

yo - yarn over; this causes an increase with a hole, used with lace.

co - cast on.

bo - bind off, finishing the last row.

ca - colour A, main colour, used when knitting with more than 1 colour.

cb - colour B, contrasting colour, used when knitting with more than 1 colour.

rs - right side; outside of the garment, the side people will see.

ws - wrong side; the side of the garment that is not intended to be seen