Become a Knitting Superstar™
Become a Knitting Superstar™
Become a Knitting Superstar™
Become a Knitting Superstar™
Become a Knitting Superstar™

This chapter is part of our Video Knitting Dictionary Video Class. Click here to learn more.

Video Knitting Dictionary

 

1×1 Rib/2×2 Rib – Ribbing

Ribbing is a stretchy fabric created by alternating knit and purl stitches across a row.

It is stretchy and does not curl, and is useful for cuffs and necklines.

When making ribbing you can use any repeated combination of knit and purl stitches, such as: (K2, p2), (k2, p1), (k3, p5), etc.

“Work (or continue) in ribbing” = “Knit all the knit stitches and purl all the purl stitches for as long as you want to maintain the pattern.”

1x1 Rib
1x1 Rib

 

BLCO – Backwards Loop Cast-On

This is a beginner cast on that you can teach to anyone just starting to knit, including children.

You can also use this cast-on when you have accidentally run out of tail at the end of your Long-Tail Cast-On or when you are required to cast-on at a midpoint in your knitting (like on a buttonhole).

The edge is not very strong, so this cast-on should be used sparingly.

Backwards Loop Cast-On
Backwards Loop Cast-On

 

Blocking Knitting – How to Block Your Work

The final touch for most knitting projects is blocking.

Soaking your project in warm water with a little soap and then laying it out to dry is all it takes to make your edges and stitches more even and to cover up any inconsistencies in your tension.

KnitFreedom | Finishing | Blocking - How to Block Your Knitting
KnitFreedom | Finishing | Blocking - How to Block Your Knitting

 

BO – Bind Off

In order to wear and enjoy your project, you must take the stitches off the needle.

Use this bind-off (called the Standard Bind-Off) to finish every project unless the directions specify otherwise.

BO - Bind Off
BO - Bind Off

 

BO in Pattern – Bind Off In Pattern

“Bind off in pattern” means to knit your knits and purl your purls as you bind off.

This flattens the bound-off edge. In order to do it right, you’ll need to be able to recognize your knit and purl stitches.

Bind Off In Pattern
Bind Off In Pattern

 

Garter St – Garter Stitch

Garter stitch is the fabric created when you knit every row, that is, on both the RS and the WS.

Garter stitch is reversible, lies flat, and is bulkier than Stockinette stitch.

Garter Stitch
Garter Stitch

 

Gauge – How to Check Your Gauge on Flat Knitting

Gauge is the number of knit stitches and rows that fit into a specified unit of measurement, usually one inch (2.5 cm). It’s important because if your stitches are too big or too small, your project will be too big or too small.

Checking your gauge is as easy as knitting a small sample square, called a swatch, and placing a ruler or a gauge-checker over the fabric, and counting how many stitches there are in a few inches, and then dividing by the number of inches to get the average number of stitches per inch.

Here are my tips for knitting a swatch and checking your gauge.

KNITFreedom - How To Measure or Check Your Gauge in Knitting
KNITFreedom - How To Measure or Check Your Gauge in Knitting

 

How to Do Kitchener Stitch Without Fear

How to Do Kitchener Stitch Without Fear - KnitFreedom.com
How to Do Kitchener Stitch Without Fear - KnitFreedom.com

 

K – Knit Stitch – American Style

In this style (most common for beginners), the yarn is tensioned in the right hand.

The Knit Stitch - American Style
The Knit Stitch - American Style

 

K – Knit Stitch – Continental Style

In Continental-style knitting, hold the working yarn with your left hand.

The Knit Stitch - Continental
The Knit Stitch - Continental

 

K2TOG – Knit 2 Together

The Knit 2 Together is a basic, right-leaning decrease. It decreases two stitches into one. It is the mirror image of the SSK.

K2tog - Knit 2 Together
K2tog - Knit 2 Together

 

K2TOGTBL – Knit 2 Together Through the Back Loops

An easy way to do a left-leaning decrease, this technique creates a twisted stitch, so only use it if that’s what you want.

K2togtbl - Knit 2 Together Through the Back Loops
K2togtbl - Knit 2 Together Through the Back Loops

 

KFB – Knit Front and Back

An easy increase, the Knit-Front-and-Back leaves a horizontal purl bump under the increased stitch.

KFB - Knit Front and Back
KFB - Knit Front and Back

 

Kitchener Stitch

This is an advanced sewn bind-off that is completely flat and invisible. It is slow but it gets faster as you get better at it.

Not only is this a fabulous way to invisibly join two pieces of knitting, this technique is used in a lot of other advanced bind-offs, making it an investment in your future knitting happiness.

I would consider it “required reading” for intermediate knitters.

Kitchener Stitch
Kitchener Stitch

 

Long-Tail Cast-On

The Long-Tail Cast-On is a great all-around cast-on.

Use it to begin every project, unless the directions or your further cast-on knowledge specify otherwise.

Long-Tail Cast-On
Long-Tail Cast-On

 

M1/M1L – Make One/Make One Left

Make One is a nearly invisible increase that seems to appear out of nowhere. The increased stitch leans to the left.

M1L - Make 1 Left
M1L - Make 1 Left

 

M1R – Make One Right

A mirror image of Make One Left in both appearance and execution, this increase leans to the right.

M1R - Make 1 Right
M1R - Make 1 Right

 

Mattress Stitch

Mattress stitch is a way to seam together pieces of knitting. To make this process as easy as possible, block the pieces to be seamed and use a sturdy, contrasting yarn as your seaming yarn.

Once you get the hang of Mattress Stitch, you can use the tail yarn of your project to do it (this is slightly more challenging because the yarn won’t stand out as you work).

KnitFreedom | Seaming | Mattress Stitch - How to Invisibly Sew Up Your Knitting
KnitFreedom | Seaming | Mattress Stitch - How to Invisibly Sew Up Your Knitting

 

P – Purl Stitch – American Style

In this style (most common for beginners), the yarn is tensioned in the right hand.

The Purl Stitch - American Style
The Purl Stitch - American Style

 

P – Purl Stitch – Continental Style

In Continental knitting, the yarn is tensioned in the left hand.

Purl - Continental
Purl - Continental

 

P/u (Pu) and Knit – Pick up and Knit

KNITFreedom - Pick Up And Knit - How To Pick Up And Knit Stitches On 2 Edges
KNITFreedom - Pick Up And Knit - How To Pick Up And Knit Stitches On 2 Edges

 

P2TOG – Purl 2 Together

This is a right-leaning decrease that reduces the number of stitches on your needle by 1.

The purl 2 together is identical to the knit 2 together, only it’s used on the purl side (usually the WS) of the fabric. Doing a p2tog on the purl side will result in a k2tog on the knit side.

P2tog - Purl 2 Together
P2tog - Purl 2 Together

 

PFB – Purl Front and Back

The purl front-and-back is an easy increase which is nearly invisible when used on Reverse Stockinette stitch.

PFB - Purl Front and Back
PFB - Purl Front and Back

 

Recognizing a Knit and Purl Stitch

The hallmark of a knit stitch is that it looks like a “V” (I like to think of a V-neck sweater).

The hallmark of a purl stitch is that is it looks like a horizontal line “–” (I like to think of a turtleneck sweater). This is called the “purl bump.”

These two stitches are the fundamental stitches of knitting. Each stitch is the exact opposite of the other – it’s really just one stitch, seen from either side.

Recognizing a Knit or Purl Stitch
Recognizing a Knit or Purl Stitch

 

S2KP (Slip 2, Knit, Pass)

This reduces the number of stitches by two and is neatly centered (no leaning at all). One of my personal favorites.

Also called: Centered Double Decrease

KNITFreedom - S2KP (Slip 2 Knit Pass) or Centered Double Decrease
KNITFreedom - S2KP (Slip 2 Knit Pass) or Centered Double Decrease

 

SKP – Slip, Knit, Pass

The Slip, Knit, Pass is left-leaning decrease that is almost identical to the SSK. Reduces the stitch count by 1.

SKP - Slip, Knit, Pass
SKP - Slip, Knit, Pass

 

Sl – Slip 1 – Slip a Stitch

KNITFreedom - How To Slip A Stitch In Knitting - Sl 1 - Slipped St
KNITFreedom - How To Slip A Stitch In Knitting - Sl 1 - Slipped St

 

SSK – Slip, Slip, Knit

Slip, Slip, Knit is an easy decrease that is good for beginners. It leans to the left in a mirror image of a k2tog.

The Slip, Slip, Knit decreases your stitch count by one stitch. It turns two stitches into one.

SSK - Slip, Slip, Knit
SSK - Slip, Slip, Knit

 

St St – Stockinette Stitch

Stockinette Stitch is the fabric created when you knit on the RS and purl on the WS.

It is the basis of most knitted garments. It tends to curl in on itself when it doesn’t have a border that lies flat.

St st - Stockinette Stitch
St st - Stockinette Stitch

 

TBL – Through the Back Loop

As in K tbl (“knit through the back loop”) and P tbl (“purl through the back loop”).

Knitting or purling through the back loop of a stitch creates a twisted stitch. It is tighter than a normal knit or purl stitch and can be used functionally as well as decoratively.

Knit or Purl Through the Back Loop (TBL)
Knit or Purl Through the Back Loop (TBL)

 

W&T – Wrap and Turn (Short Rows) Plus Picking Up Wraps on the Knit Side

A “short row” is simply what happens when you work across a row but don’t get to the end.

The pattern instructs you to go almost to the end (maybe one or two stitches before), and then turn around and go back.

This creates a domed shape that is good for heels and other curvy parts of the body.

[KnitFreedom] How To Do Short Row Shaping And The "Wrap and Turn"
[KnitFreedom] How To Do Short Row Shaping And The "Wrap and Turn"

 

Weave in Tails/Ends on Stockinette Stitch

Weaving in your yarn ends, or tails, is a way to secure them so that they don’t come loose when you wash or wear your knitted items, leading to unraveled knitting or a hole in your garment.

To make weaving in your ends easier, always leave at least a six-inch tail when you cut your yarn.

KnitFreedom | Finishing | Weaving in Ends - How to Weave in Ends on Stockinette Stitch
KnitFreedom | Finishing | Weaving in Ends - How to Weave in Ends on Stockinette Stitch

 

Work Even

Designers instruct you to “work even” or “work stitches as they appear” when they want you to knit all the knit stitches and purl all the purl stitches along a certain row.

In order to do this, you have to know which are the knit stitches and which are the purl stitches!

Here’s a video showing exactly how to recognize knit and purl stitches. I also show you how to see when you guessed wrong, and how to fix it.

KNITFreedom - How to "Work Even" in Knitting - Knit the Knits and Purl the Purls
KNITFreedom - How to "Work Even" in Knitting - Knit the Knits and Purl the Purls

 

YO – Yarnover

This simple increase makes a lacy-looking hole in your work, so only use it if you want a hole. Increases by 1 stitch.

Not incidentally, the yarnover, in combination with Knit 2 Together, is the basis of all lace patterns.

YO - Yarn Over
YO - Yarn Over

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