Much like recipes in baking, knitting patterns try to break down a project into simple steps to help you create a copy of the designer’s creation. Looking at your first knitting pattern can sometimes be overwhelming; there tend to be many sections and a lot of abbreviations. But when you break them down, you will find that almost all knitting patterns are made up of similar parts.

Most patterns structured in the same way. They will usually include:

• An introduction.
• A materials list.
• The gauge of the pattern.
• An abbreviations key.
• Instructions for knitting.

Materials

Almost every knitting pattern will list the materials required to make the item exactly as the author did. You should see knitting needle sizes as well as a yarn suggestion. In most cases, the author has not attempted to make the item with more than one type of yarn. Often, they have only knit it in one color. If you wish to replicate the pattern exactly, you must find the recommended yarn.

Substituting Materials

If you are unable to locate the yarn used by a pattern’s author, you can try substituting yarn. If you try this, you will need to ensure you select yarn in the same weight as the suggested yarn. Because the thickness of yarns in the same weight category can vary slightly, before you substitute, always make sure you work up a gauge swatch to ensure your knit will work out to be the correct size.

What is Gauge?

Your pattern will likely have a section that reads something like: “Gauge:   19 stitches x 26 rows = 4 x 4 inches in stockinette stitch on No. 7 (4.5 mm) needles.” This tells you how large each stitch needs to be for your final knitting project to be the correct size. Check your gauge when you need your knitted item to fit properly or match a specific dimension. Learn how to check your gauge in this free knitting guide.

Understanding Abbreviations

Knitting patterns are full of abbreviations and learning what they mean makes reading knitting patterns easier. Knitters use a shorthand to keep track of the stitches they make when writing a pattern. Knitting designers usually provide a key at the beginning of the pattern, which explains their abbreviations. Always refer to this key. Some designers do not follow the standardized abbreviations, and others will create their own abbreviations for unique stitches.

If you find a pattern with no key, you can follow the more standard knitting abbreviations. Below are some basic knitting abbreviations that most knitters use; this is also a complete list of the abbreviations used throughout my Learn to Knit Guide. You will want become familiar with these as you start learning to knit.

Knitting Abbreviations Used in My Learn to Knit Guide

CO = cast on

k = knit

p = purl

** = repeat the pattern between the asterisks

sl1pwyif = slip one stitch purlwise with yarn in front

sl1pwyib = slip one stitch purlwise with yarn in back

sl = sl1pwyib = slip one stitch purlwise with yarn in back

sl marker = slip the stitch to which a marker is clipped purlwise with yarn in back [Slip the stitch as if to purl with the working yarn held behind the work.]

ktbl = knit through the back loop

k2tog = knit two together

ssk = slip, slip, knit

M1L = make one left [Pick up the strand between the stitch just worked and the next stitch from front to back with the left needle and knit into the back of it.]

M1R = make one right [Pick up the strand between the stitch just worked and the next stitch from back to front with the left needle and knit into the front of it.]

BO = bind off

Learn More Abbreviations

Want to explore more abbreviations with a side of silly fun? Read my Knitting Abbreviations Explained Series here.

As your knitting becomes more complex, you will come across abbreviations for increasingly more advanced stitches. Many knitters follow the Crafty Yarn Council’s collection of knitting abbreviations as a standard way of shortening words in knitting patterns. If the pattern you are working does not come with a key, you can look online at the Crafty Yarn Council’s list of standard knitting abbreviations, which can be found at:  https://www.craftyarncouncil.com/knit.html.

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You’ve done it! Congratulations on your beautiful knit piece. You may notice one last instruction after knitting and tying up the loose ends of your project. Often, at the end of a knitting pattern the final step will read, “block if desired.” Blocking knits is a way of forming your project into a more perfect shape. There are several techniques you can use to block knitwear, including wet, dry, steam, and damp blocking. No matter what method you use, the blocking process will stretch and smooth your stitching.

What is blocking knitwear?

Blocking in knitting is a finishing touch for your knit work. It allows you to stretch and manipulate your knitting into a more consistent, even stitch pattern.

Below, you will see two fingerless mittens I have made. These mittens were made two at a time on the same pair of needles in the same knitting session. The glove on the left has not been blocked. The glove on the right has been blocked. As you can see, the right mitten has a much better shape and the stitching seems much more even.

How to block knits

To block your knitting, you will need to prepare a blocking board. You will lay or pin your knits to the blocking board to ensure they keep their shape. If you do not have a blocking board, you can usually substitute an ironing board or a spare mattress covered in towels.

You can order a blocking board on Amazon.com with this affiliate link.

There are a few techniques you can use when blocking your knits. You will want to consider the type of yarn you have used for your piece when choosing a blocking method. Wool and natural fibers hold their shape better after wet or damp blocking, while acrylics seem to do well with damp and dry blocking. All these blocking methods involve stretching your knitting work a bit, in order to even out the stitching. Then you will lay your item out flat or pin it to a blocking board, while forming it into the correct shape and size.  

Wet blocking knits

Dry blocking knits

Steam Blocking knits

Damp blocking knits with the washing machine

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Knit These Projects

Washcloth and Face Scrubby Knitting Pattern

Fingerless Glove Knitting Pattern

 

Find More Knitting Patterns

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Once you have finished knitting a project, you will want to know how get your work off the needles. You’ll need to “bind off” or “cast off” the piece to secure your last row of stitches in place. There are several ways to end a knitted project. Here I will show you a basic bind off, commonly known as the “standard bind off.” This method can be used on a wide variety of knitted items.

A standard bind off chains together the stitches in your last row so you can remove them from your needles without your work coming undone. To finish your knitted piece, you will work the first two stitches of you last row. Then, you’ll slip the first stitch over the second, which will start removing stitches from the needles and keep them securely in place.

Here, you will learn to bind off in only knit stitches. Later, after you have learned the purl stitch, you can learn to cast of a piece that was made in a pattern of knits and purls.

Before you start, remember to loosen up:

Keep in mind that this bind off tends to be a bit tight, so you may want to loosen up your tension when knitting this last row. Many patterns will specifically tell you to “bind off loosely,” to remind you to adjust the tightness of the stitches.

Or, go up two or three needle sizes:

Instead of adjusting how tightly you knit, you can also switch needle sizes. Try moving to a needle that is two or three sizes larger than the one you have been using for the rest of the pattern. This allows you to keep the same knitting tension in your yarn as you cast off, while still loosening the bind off stitches enough to match the rest of the piece. Some patterns instruct you to switch needle sizes for the last row, to help you ensure your ends are more even.

Video Guide: How to Bind Off Knitting

Written Guide: How to Bind Off Knitting

The steps below assume you have been working in a pattern of only knit stitches (garter stitch). Find a free sample pattern to follow here; it is a face scrubby made of only knit stitches. If you have been knitting in a pattern of knits and purls, make sure to follow your pattern as you bind off.

Practice With My Knitting Patterns

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