\ Knitting how-to guide - Instructions and electronic chart notation for every knit stitch

Knitting how-to guide and electronic chart symbol system

By Susan Anvin

© Copyright 2003. This document and the symbol system it contains may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission (electronic or otherwise) of the author.

This guide is intended to serve 2 purposes:

  1. To teach inexpereinced knitters, or those new to lace knitting, how to make all the stitches I know of or can think up, that are commonly or occasionally used in lace knitting. Where possible, I will give links to sites with fuller directions, or pictures that may help guide you in the construction of each stitch. In time I may be able to add my own visual directions, as well as pictures of each stitch as they appear in finished knitting.
  2. To create a universally usable system for charting knitting patterns electronically. This system will use only the symbols available on a standard US keyboard, with every attempt made to have symbols be both easily recognizable and visually similar in some ways to the finished knitting. Such a system is desperately needed, now that knitters are using electronic means to create and share patterns, as it will aloow us to share ideas and easily understand each other's work, without needing to re-learn an idioscyncratic symbol set for each pattern. I have created this system based on my own understanding of the stitches, and will maintain copyright, but I do hope others will use it, and will likely grant permission provided it is sought and credit is given. Please contact me.
For those who find these instructions above their level, please visit Wonderful Things for other basic instructions (casting on, casting off, cables). This site helped me immensely when I was first learning to knit, and it has great pictures and descriptions on the basic skills of knitting.

If you know of a stitch I have not included, please write me and I'll add it.

Knit-side stitches Purl-side equivalent
Single stitches
| Knit: Start with yarn to back of knitting. Pass R needle through front of one stitch on L needle, and cross under L needle. Loop yarn around R needle counter clockwise (behind needle, then across the front and to your right). Pull yarn through stitch on L needle and drop old stitch from L needle. - Purl: Start withyarn to front of knitting. Pass R needle through back of one stitch on L needle, and hold it in front of the L needle. Loop yarn around R needle counter clockwise (behind needle, then across the front and to your right). Pull yarn through stitch on L needle and drop old stitch from L needle.
& Twisted Knit stitch, or Knit through the back loop (Ktbl): Insert R needle the same direction into stitch as if you were going to purl, but BEHIND your left needle, not in front as for purling. Wrap yarn as usual, pull thru, and drop old stitch. Visual instructions ~ Twisted Purl stitch, or purl through the back loop (Ptbl): Take R needle behind first stitch of left needle, and pull the back part of the loop around and forward. Wrap yarn as usual, pull thru, and drop old stitch. Visual instructions
Increases
O Yarn Over: Do not insert right needle into any stitches! Just wrap yarn as usual, making sure to finish with it to the back of the knitting again. O Yarn Over: (looks the same on both sides of knitting) Same as with knit-side yarn over, only be sure your yarn ends on the front of the knitting.
M Make one: Adds an extra stitch, without creating a lacy hole (hey, you may one day use this stitch...) Slip R needle into loop of stitch from row BEFORE/BELOW stitches currently on the L needle. Lift this stitch onto the L needle, and knit into it as usual. m Make one: Same as knit-side, except purl into the stitch you lift to the L needle.
Single Decreases
/ Knit 2 together (K2tog), Right slanting decrease: Just like a regular knit, only pass your R needle through 2 stitches instead of just one. Then wrap as usual, pull yarn through and drop both old stitches off the L needle.Visual instructions /. Purl 2 together (P2tog) Right slanting decrease: Just like a regular purl, only pass your R needle through 2 stitches instead of just one. Then wrap as usual, pull yarn through and drop both old stitches off the L needle.
\ SSK (slip, slip, K2tog), left slanting decrease: Insert your R needle into 1 stitch on the left needle, as if to knit. Slip it from the L needle onto the R needle (this is called slipping knitwise). Slip a second stitch knitwise. Pass your left needle back through these two stitches, so that the L needle is in front of the R needle. You will note that your R needle is now positioned as if to knit through the back loops. Wrap yarn as usual around R needle, pull through both stitches, and drop both old stitches from the L needle.Visual instructions
Alternate - easier to understand, takes longer to do, looks exactly the same: S1 K1 PSSO 		.\ SSP (slip slip, P2tog tbl), left slanting decrease: Slip two stitches knitwise, 1 at a time. Pass the two stitches back to the L needle. Insert R needle into BOTH of these stitches as you would to purl through the back loops (see "~" above for Ptbl), wrap yarn around R needle as usual, pull yarn through both loops, and drop loops off L needle.
Alternate - like S1 K1 PSSO, but even more awkward: P1, S1 knitwise, return both to L needle, PSSO, then return purled stitch to R needle.
Double Decreases
// Knit 3 together (K3tog), Right slanting decrease: Just like K2tog, except with 3 stitches instead of 2. It may help to pull down on your knitting below the stitches to be knitted into to stretch them out so your needle will slide in easier. //. Purl 3 together (P3tog), Right slanting decrease: Just like P2tog, except with 3 stitches instead of 2. It may help to pull down on your knitting below the stitches to be purled into to stretch them out so your needle will slide in easier.
\\ SSSK (slip slip slip K3tog), left slanting decrease: Just like SSK, only with 3 stitches instead of two. Remember to slip stitches one at a time, inserting needles as if to knit. (May also substitute S1 S1 K1 PSSO, see S1 K1 PSSO) .\\ SSSP (slip slip slip p3tog tbl), left slanting decrease: Just like SSP, only with 3 stitches instead of two. Remember to slip stitches one at a time, inserting needles as if to knit.
/\ S1, K2tog, PSSO, non-slanting decrease: Slip one stitch knitwise. Knit the next 2 stitches togather as normal, then pass the slipped stitch over this new stitch. See S1 K1 PSSO for visual instructions Finished stitch should look a bit like a triangle, with the loops from the 2 outer stitches lying over the center stitch of the old row /.\ P2tog, S1, PSSO, non-slanting decrease: Purl 2 together as normal. Slip one stitch knitwise, then pass both the slipped stitch and the P2tog stitch back to the L needle (slip purlwise - do not twist). Pass the slipped stitch over the purled stitch and off the L needle. Pass the purled stitch back to the R needle (slip purlwise - do not twist). (Please write me if you know an easier way to do this!)
/|\ Ridged double decrease (no slant): Insert R needle into 2 stitches as if to knit them together. Slip BOTH stitches simultaneously over to the right needle. Knit one stitch, and simultaneously pass both slipped stitches over the knit stitch and off the R needle. This is the opposite appearance of the decrease above, in that it leaves the center stitch on the top, rather than below the two side stitches. This is perfect for leaf lace patterns or a nything where you want an unbroken line or ridge of knits loops along a line of decreases. /!\ Purled Ridged boudle decrease (no slant): Purl 1. Insert R needle into two stitches as if to knit them together. Slip BOTH stitches simultaneously over to the right needle. Pass the 2 slipped stitches and the purled stitch back to the L needle (slip purlwise, do not twist), then simultaneously pass both slipped stitches over the purled stitch and off the L needle. Pass the purled stitch back to the right needle (slip purlwise, do not twist).
Other stitches (same notation knit side and purl side)
<+++) Cable: "+" indicates # of stitches passed in front of a cable (either on the cable needle, or to be passed in front of the stitches on the cable needle); "<" indicates which direction the cable will move; ")" clearly marks the other side of the cable stitches. When charting, "<+" should be included in one square, as should "+)" (===> Cable: "=" indicates # of stitches passed to the back in a cable (either on the cable needle, or to be passed behind the stitches on the cable needle); ">" indicates which direction the cable will move; "(" clearly marks the other side of the cable stitches. When charting, "(=" should be included in one square, as should "=>"
S
S.		 Slip stitch to R needle knitwise (twisted)
Slip stitch to R needle purlwise (untwisted)		 (S) Drop stitch from L needle (often used for the 2nd loop of a double yarn over)
X Cast off/bind off - knit or purl 2, pass 1st stitch over the 2nd @ Cast-off lock stitch, i.e. the stitch left on the R needle after casting off the required number of stitches.
Blank square - do nothing. Blank squares on charts may be left to line up the pattern in a way that is easier to read. Skip over these and continue with the next symbol.

Check back for a sampler pattern to practice, display, and teach all of these stitches, as well as a lace motif that uses most of them (I'll likely exclude the twist stitches, cable stitches, and the non-holey make one).