【 80+ Symbols 】 used in advanced knitting patterns

Here is a list of over 80 popular symbols used in advanced knitting patterns to represent various stitches, techniques, and instructions that are essential for creating complex knitting projects.

Basic symbols

Language of knitting patterns

	Co	Cast on
	Bo	Bind off
	M	Place marker
	Sm	Slip marker
		Move marker left
		Move marker right
		Short row right
		Short row left
		Turn to wrong side
		Turn to right side
	K	Knit
	P	Purl
	K tbl	Knit through the back loop
	P tbl	Purl through the back loop
	Sl wyib	Slip stitch with yarn in back
	Sl wyif	Slip stitch with yarn in front

	K1b	Knit 1 below
	K2b	Knit 2 below
	K3b	Knit 3 below

Special symbols

Language of knitting patterns

Symbol

Abb

Explanation

		Bunny ears dec Bunny ears dec
	N	Nupp
	B	Bobble

		Cluster stitches
		Wrap stitches
		Yarn over, knit st/sts, pass yarn over over knitted st/sts

Yarn over symbols

Language of knitting patterns

	Yo	Yarn over
	Yo x2	Yarn over twice
	Yo x3	Yarn over three times
	Kyok	Knit one, yarn over, knit one in the same stitch
	Pyop	Purl 1, yarn over, purl 1 in the same stitch

Increase symbols

Language of knitting patterns

	M1	Make one stitch (right/left)
	M1p	Make one purl-wide (right/left)
	LLI	Left lifted increase
	RLI	Right lifted increase
	LLIp	Left lifted increase (purled)
	RLIp	Right lifted increase (purled)
	incto2	- (knit 1, purl 1) in one stitch - (purl 1, knit 1) in one stitch
	incto2	- (knit 1, purl 1) in one stitch - (purl 1, knit 1) in one stitch
	incto3	Increase 1 to 3
	incto3	Increase 1 to 3
	incto4	Increase 1 to 4
	incto5	Increase 1 to 5

Decrease symbols

Language of knitting patterns

	Ssk	Slip slip knit
	K2tog	Knit two stitches together
	Twisted ssk	Twisted slip slip knit
	Twisted k2tog	Twisted knit two stitches together
	Ssp	Slip slip purl
	P2tog	Purl two stitches together
	Sssk Sk2p	Slip slip slip knit Slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over
	K3tog	Knit three stitches together
	Sssp	Slip slip slip purl
	P3tog	Purl three stitches together
	S2kp	Slip two stitches knitwise, knit one, pass slipped stitches over

		Ssk nupp
		K2tog nupp

	sl2 p1 p2sso	Slip 2 purl 1 pass 2 slipped stitches over
	K4tog	Knit 4 together
	K5tog	Knit 5 together
	K7tog	Knit 7 together

Gathered symbols

Language of knitting patterns

	2-2	2 into 2 gathered
	3-3	3 into 3 gathered
	5-5	5 into 5 gathered
	2-6	2 into 6 gathered
	5-7	5 into 7 gathered
	7-3	7 into 3 gathered

	2-2 tbl	2 into 2 gathered through the back loop
	3-2 tbl	3 into 2 gathered through the back loop
	3-3 tbl	3 into 3 gathered through the back loop
	3-4 tbl	3 into 4 gathered through the back loop
	5-2 tbl	5 into 2 gathered through the back loop
	3-5 tbl	3 into 5 gathered through the back loop
	5-3 tbl	5 into 3 gathered through the back loop
	5-7 tbl	5 into 7 gathered through the back loop

Cable symbols

Explanation

	1/1 Left cross
	1/1 Right cross
	1/1 Left purl cross
	1/1 Right purl cross
	2/2 Left cross
	2/2 Right cross
	2/2 Left purl cross
	2/2 Right purl cross
	2/1/2 Left cross
	2/1/2 Right cross
	3/3 Left cross
	3/3 Right cross
	3/3 Left purl cross
	3/3 Right purl cross

Note: Always refer to the pattern key for variations in the knit symbols
Happy knitting!