Knitting Slang Dictionary
Ever wondered what everyone is talking about well here is a list that might help and is applicable to knitters, crocheters and other crafts as well.
| Cake | Yarn wound into a cylindrical shape where both top and bottom are flat and there is a centre yarn to pull out. |
| DPN | Double Pointed Needles |
| DS | Destash (sell or trade unwanted yarn) |
| EOR | End of Row |
| Flashing | Similar to pooling below but more linear in design |
| FO | Finished Object |
| Frog | To rip back (for the sound "rip it, rip it") by removing the needles and undoing all your hard work |
| FSOT | For sale or trade |
| Gifted | The act of giving yarn/ items for free |
| ISO: | In Search Of |
| KAL: | Knit along |
| KIP: | Knit in Public |
| LYS: | Local Yarn Store |
| muggle: | Non-knitter |
| OTN: | On The Needles |
| PIF: | Pay it forward |
| Pooling: | When one colour in a variegated yarn bunches together in an area |
| Puddling: | Similar to pooling but more like a blotch |
| RAK: | Random act of kindness a small gift to a fellow crafter |
| SABLE: | Stash Acquisition beyond life expectancy |
| BeauFO | A beautiful finished object |
| Tink: | Tink is knit backwards so it is to undo knitting by reversing the knitting motion – effectively unknitting the stitch |
| TOAD: | Trashed Object Abandoned in Disgust |
| UFO: | Unfinished Object (usually an abandoned or neglected WIP) |
| Vanilla: | An easy plain pattern |
| WIP: | Work in Progress |
| WPI: | Wraps per inch (number of times yarn will wrap loosely around a ruler in one inch; more wraps indicates thinner yarn |
| yarn barf: | A big lump of yarn that comes out of a new ball of yarns |
| Yarnie: | Yarnie "independent dyer or spinner with a small business and lover of all that is yarn |
| Ambistitcherous | Having the ability to knit in two different styles |
| BFL | Blue faced Leicester a breed of sheep |
| Bicraftual | Someone who can both knit and crochet |
| Bistitchual | The ability to knit in two styles e.g. English and Continental |
| CAL | Crochet along |
| CIP | Crochet in public |
| Colorway | The names assigned by the manufacturer to the colour of yarn |
| Darn Overs (~Dos) | The ones you forget and have to tink back |
| Frog pond | A storage place for knitted and crocheted things waiting to be frogged |
| SEX | Stash Enhancement Experience = buying yarn |
These common knitting abbreviations might also be of use to you.
St/Sts Stitch/Stitches
RS Right Side — as in the side that faces outward when you're done
WS Wrong Side — the inside of the garment
MC Main Color — will be designated in the pattern, or you will choose one yourself
CC Contrasting Color
Cont Continue
[As] Foll [As] Follows, or Following. Often used with Cont., as in “Cont. as foll:"
Rnd(s) Round(s) — one row of round knitting
Rem Remain/Remaining. As in “26 sts rem." Helps keep you on track.
Rep Repeat.
Break Yarn Cut yarn. I don't know why they call it breaking, although it is a good reminder that it is an option when you don't have any scissors. Always leave a six-inch tail for weaving in. If you're not sure how long six inches is (you'd be surprised at how many people aren't), just measure a few times. Then you can tease your boyfriend that six inches isn't nearly as long as he claims.
Turn Turn your work around so that the other side is facing you. Sometimes, you will be instructed to turn your work even when you are not at the end of a row. That's okay — it's all part of the plan.
In Pattern According to the same pattern you've just been doing.
Work Even Continue in the same stitch pattern without adding or subtracting any stitches (usually means just knit).
( ) Refers to whatever is in the parenthesis as a discrete group. As in “(K1, P2) 5 times."
Rep From * Repeat from *, a way of explaining what part of the pattern to go back to. As in “K5, *(P2, K5), rep from * to end."
Across To the end of the row/round.
To End To the end of the row/round.
