How to Read a Knitting Pattern
Once you’ve learned the basics of knitting, how to cast on
and cast off, how to work the knit stitch and the purl stitch, you’ll be ready
to start your first pattern. In the
beginning, looking at a knitting pattern can be very confusing, as thought its written in a foreign language.
It’s not, but it is the special language of knitting, which
uses many abbreviations and terms, which save space and make patterns easier to
read. So the first thing you need to do is become familiar with the knitting
abbreviations. Some of them are easy to understand, suh as k = knit stitch p = purl stitch, CO = Cast on
(This is how you begin each knitted piece.) and BO = Bind off (This is how you finish most knitted pieces.
Binding off is sometimes called casting off. They mean the same thing.) Inc = Increase -add one or more stitches. The
most basic increase is to work in the front, and then again in the back, of the
same stitch. This can be done in both knit and purl stitches. Dec =
decrease-eliminate one or more stitches. The most basic decrease is to work two
stitches together as one. This can be done in both knit and purl stitches.
Different ways of increasing and decreasing change the way the project will
look, and most designers have a specific method in mind. So usually your
pattern will tell you how to do this. Rep = repeat - do the same thing again
the number of times stated in the pattern.
A complete list of abbreviations used in knitting can be found on the
abbrivation page in this blog.
There is usually a list of abbreviations pertaining to the particular pattern you have
chosen written within the pattern instructions. . Knitted items can be worked
back and forth in rows to form a flat piece, or in rounds to form a tube with
no seams, such as socks or hats. Special circular or double pointed needles are
used to work in rounds. With the abbreviations and terms in hand, you are ready
to look at a typical knitting pattern.
First the instructions will tell you to cast on a certain
number of stitches.There are many methods of casting on. Some give a nice
stretchy edge; others give a firm base. Unless the pattern tells you
differently, use the method you were first taught.
So in a typical
pattern CO 15 sts. means that you will
first make a slip knot on one needle, then cast on 14 more stitches on the same
needle. In knitting, the slip knot always counts as a stitch, unlike as in
crochet where the slip knot never counts
as a stitch
Row 1: Knit. That
means you will knit all 15 stitches on the needle
Rep Row 1 until piece measures 4” from the beginning. That
means that you will keep repeating Row 1 a knit row until the piece measures 4”
from the cast on row. To measure, place your piece on a flat surface and do not
stretch it out. Place the end of a ruler or tape measure against the needle,
and measure down to your initial cast-on row. If your work doesn’t measure what
is specified, just keep repeating the rows until you get to the desired length.
You will have created what is called garter stitch, made by knitting every row
on a flat piece. This is a reversible pattern, as there is very little
difference between the right side and the wrong side. So when a pattern tells
you to work in garter st, you will know it means to knit every row.
Row 1 (RS): Knit.
This means that on Row 1, which is the right side of the piece (RS), you
will knit all 15 stitches on the needle
Row 2 (WS):
Purl. Then for Row 2, the wrong side
(WS) of the piece, you will purl every stitch.
The pattern may now say: Rep Rows 1 and 2 until piece
measures 4” from the beginning, ending with a WS row.
That means that you
will keep repeating Row 1 (a knit row) and Row 2 (a purl row), in sequence
until the piece measures 4” from the cast on row. Since the pattern says to end
with a wrong-side row, that means that the last row you work should be a purl
(WS) row. When you repeat a knit row and then a purl row for a number of rows,
your are creating a pattern called stockinette stitch. This is abbreviated St
st. You will see that there is a definite right and wrong side, usually the knit
side is the right side, but sometimes the purl side is used for the right side.
When this is done it is called reverse St st. So when a pattern tells you to
work in St st, it means to alternate a knit row with a purl row.
Now we’ll have a quick look at the symbols that are used in
knitting patterns. These too are used to save space and to make the pattern
easier to read. They may be confusing at first, but you will soon learn to
follow them. Knitting patterns may have a series of steps that are repeated several
times across a row. Rather than writing out these steps time after time,
asterisks (*) are used to indicate the repeats. You will find asterisks used in
many different patterns, such as ribbing. Ribbing is that stretchy pattern
often used at the bottom and cuffs on a sweater to provide flexibility. Here is
a typical ribbing pattern.
CO 18 sts.
Row 1: *K2, P2; rep from * across, end K2.
That means that you
will knit the first two stitches, then purl the next two stitches; then you
will knit 2, then purl 2, again, and repeat the steps following the asterisk
all across the row until the last two stitches which you will knit.
Row 2: *P2, K2; rep
from * across, end P2.
Note that you will be purling the sts you knitted on the
preceding row, and knitting the sts you purled on the preceding row. Many times
patterns will say: knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches. You will
be creating ribbing by repeating these two rows in sequence.
Brackets [ ] are also
used to enclose a group of stitches that are to be repeated a specified number
of times. The number immediately following the brackets tells you how many
times to do the step. For instance, [k1, K2tog] 6 times means you will knit 1
stich, then knit 2 stitches together,
then do that again 5 more times..Parentheses are sometimes used in the same
way.
When you knit your
first garment, you may run into some terms that confuse you. Here are some
examples and what they mean.
Left Front or Left Sleeve: The piece that will be worn
on the left front and left arm of your body.
Right Front or Right
Sleeve: The piece that will be worn on the right front and right arm of your
body.
Work same as Left (or
Right) piece, reversing shaping: This can be difficult for a beginner. Let’s
say you have worked a series of decreases on a left shoulder. Instead of
telling you exactly how to do this for the right shoulder, in order to save
space the pattern may just tell you to: Work same as left shoulder, reversing
shaping. That means you have to figure out what to do! It will be easier if you
take pen and paper and sketch out what you did the first time; then do this in
reverse for the other piece. For example, the armhole decreases on a left front
are worked at the beginning of right side rows. To reverse it for the right
front, work the decreases at the end of the right side rows.
This should help to get you started with your fisrt pattern
so begin with a basic pattern to get you used to the terms and abbreviations
working up as you become braver. A good place to start is a basic baby cardigan
as featured in the next post of this blog and there is a page of abbreviations and there meanings on a separate page on this blog.
Tip: When following the row by row instructions it is
helpful to check off a row as you are finished. It is also a good idea to place
a ruler under each row, so that your eye follows the exact row, and not one
above or below. I use a postit note as the sticky strip meanse it won't move accidently. This is extremely important especially when you start adding
colours, or designs that need exact counting.
Enjoy your knitting!
