How to Read a Knitting Pattern: Abbreviations, Repeats and Gauge

A knitting pattern is a set of short-hand instructions, and most of it comes down to three things: a list of abbreviations, a few punctuation marks that tell you what to repeat, and a gauge that tells you how to match the designer’s size. Once you can decode those three, almost any beginner pattern becomes readable one line at a time.

Quick answer

Read the whole pattern before you cast on. Check the materials and gauge, look up every abbreviation you do not know, and mark the repeats with a pencil or highlighter. Then knit a swatch, and only start the project when the swatch matches the stated gauge.

What a pattern usually contains

Layouts vary by designer, but most patterns follow the same order. Knowing where to look saves a lot of confusion.

Many patterns list several sizes in a row, for example “Cast on 40 (44, 48) stitches”. The first number is for the smallest size and the numbers in brackets are for the larger ones. Highlighting your size throughout the pattern before you begin makes it much easier to stay on track.

Common abbreviations

You do not need to memorize a long glossary. These appear in most beginner patterns, and the full list is always worth keeping nearby.

Some terms are phrases rather than letters. “Work even” means to continue in the pattern without shaping, so the stitch count does not change. “Maintain pattern as established” means to keep the stitch pattern in the middle going while you add or remove stitches at the edges. “At the same time” means two instructions happen together.

How to read repeats: asterisks, brackets and parentheses

Punctuation is where many beginners get stuck, but the rules are simple.

• Asterisk (*) marks the start of a repeat. In “*K2, P2; rep from * across, end K2”, you work K2, P2 again and again until the instruction says to stop. This example makes a ribbing.
• Square brackets [ ] enclose steps that you repeat a set number of times. The count follows the bracket, so “[YO, K2tog] 6 times” gives you six yarn overs and six decreases.
• Parentheses ( ) often group stitches that all go into a single stitch, such as “(K1, P1, K1) in next st”. They can also hold extra size information, so check how the designer uses them.

When a row is long, write the repeat on a sticky note or say it aloud once as you work. Count your stitches at the end of the row if the pattern gives a stitch count, usually shown in brackets at the end of a line.

Right side, wrong side and stitch patterns

Patterns name the two faces of the fabric as right side (RS) and wrong side (WS). When you work flat, back and forth, you turn the work at the end of each row, so RS and WS rows alternate. When you knit in the round, such as for a hat or socks, you work in rounds on circular or double-pointed needles and the same side faces you all the time.

A few stitch pattern names show up constantly:

For garments, “left” and “right” refer to the wearer’s left and right, not yours. “Work same as left, reversing shaping” means to mirror the first piece. Sketching the shaping on paper first helps you see what to reverse.

Gauge: the part people skip

Gauge is the number of stitches and rows that fit into a given width and height. Each knitter’s tension is different, so the pattern states a gauge to tell you how your fabric should measure to produce the designer’s finished size. A swatch is the test piece.

1. Knit a sample swatch, generally about 4 inches (10 cm) square, using the yarn and needles the pattern suggests. If the pattern works in rounds, follow its swatch instructions.
2. Lay the swatch flat and measure it. If it measures 4 by 4 inches, you can begin.
3. If it does not match, change your needle size by one or two sizes. Go up a size if the swatch comes out too small, and down a size if it comes out too large.
4. Expect to make more than one swatch the first time. It gets easier as you learn your own tension.

Gauge decides whether a sweater fits, but it matters for hats, shawls and home items too. A pattern for a dishcloth worked at different gauges would simply produce cloths of different sizes.

A simple routine for your first pattern

1. Read everything first. Look at the sizes, materials, gauge and finishing notes before you buy yarn.
2. Highlight your size. Circle every number that applies to you.
3. Look up unknown terms. Write the meaning above the abbreviation in pencil.
4. Swatch. Match the stated gauge before casting on.
5. Work one row at a time. Cross off or tick each row as you finish it, or use a row counter.
6. Count stitches regularly. Compare with any stitch counts in the pattern.

Common mistakes

When a pattern still does not make sense

If a line does not make sense, look for a stitch guide or abbreviation list in the pattern, then compare the written row with a photo of the finished piece. Patterns from other countries may use different terms, for example “cast off” instead of “bind off”. If you still cannot work out a step, ask the pattern’s designer or a local knitting group.

Sources

• How to Read a Knitting Pattern, Craft Yarn Council
• YDKWYDK: Gauge and why it’s important, Craft Yarn Council
• Knit and Crochet Abbreviations/Glossary, Berroco