How to Read a Knitting Pattern
A knitting pattern is a set of instructions written in a compressed technical shorthand that can look like a foreign language at first glance. Once you understand the structure and the abbreviations, it becomes readable — and you'll see that most patterns follow the same logical layout. Here's how to decode what you're looking at.
Pattern Anatomy: What's in Every Pattern
Materials list: Yarn (usually specified by weight, fiber, and meterage per skein), needles (given in mm and/or US size), notions (stitch markers, tapestry needle, buttons, etc.), and gauge. Do not skip the materials section — the needle size listed is a starting point based on the designer's gauge, not a command.
Gauge: The number of stitches and rows per 10 cm (or 4 inches) in a specific stitch pattern. This is the single most important technical number in any pattern. If your gauge doesn't match and you're making a fitted garment, the finished size will be wrong. Always swatch — in the round if the pattern is knit in the round, blocked if the final piece will be blocked.
Sizes: Most garments come in multiple sizes, listed in parentheses: e.g., S (M, L, XL). The first number listed is the smallest size. All other numbers in the pattern follow the same order — so if your size is the third in the list, every number in parentheses belongs to the third position.
Instructions: The body of the pattern, organized by section (cast on, body, sleeves, finishing). Sometimes presented as flat rows (RS/WS), sometimes as rounds.
Sizes in Parentheses and Brackets
Most patterns write instructions for the smallest size outside parentheses, with larger sizes inside: "Cast on 80 (88, 96, 104) stitches." If you're making the L (third size), you cast on 96 stitches everywhere you see a number in parentheses.
One practical trick that saves enormous confusion: before you start, go through the printed pattern and circle or highlight every number that belongs to your size. Do this for the entire pattern in one sitting. This takes about 10 minutes and prevents hours of mistakes. Use a physical copy or a PDF annotation app — do not try to track your size in your head row by row.
Asterisk Notation: Repeat Sections
Asterisks mark sections to be repeated. The notation looks like this:
K2, p2; repeat from to last 2 sts, k2.*
Work the sequence between the asterisks (k2, p2) repeatedly until you reach the specified end point (here, "last 2 stitches"), then work the final instruction (k2) once. Some patterns use brackets instead of asterisks: [k2, p2] 5 times means work k2, p2 a total of five times.
If you see "rep from to end" or "rep from to marker," repeat the sequence until the row or section is complete. Count your stitches at the end of the first repeat to make sure the math works out before going further.
Essential Abbreviations
Most patterns include an abbreviation glossary — read it before you start, because abbreviations are not standardized across publishers and countries. UK and US patterns share most abbreviations but use different terminology for some stitches (UK "tension" = US "gauge"; UK "cast off" = US "bind off").
Core abbreviations you'll see everywhere:
- k — knit
- p — purl
- st(s) — stitch(es)
- RS / WS — right side / wrong side
- k2tog — knit two together (right-leaning decrease)
- ssk — slip, slip, knit (left-leaning decrease)
- yo — yarn over (creates a hole and adds a stitch)
- sl — slip (move stitch from left to right needle without working it)
- pm — place marker
- sm — slip marker (move marker from one needle to the other as you pass it)
- CO — cast on
- BO / cast off — bind off
- M1L / M1R — make one left / make one right (lifted increases)
- rnd(s) — round(s), used for circular knitting
How to Approach a New Pattern
Read the entire pattern before casting on a single stitch. This sounds tedious. It isn't optional. Patterns often include information later that affects how you begin — a sweater might instruct you to pick up a button band at the end that requires a specific edge treatment from the very first row. Or a shawl might use a technique in row 45 that you need to prepare for in row 3.
While reading through, note: any techniques you're unfamiliar with, any abbreviations not in the glossary, the total stitch counts at the end of key sections (so you can check yourself as you go), and any yarn quantities that might require you to manage the skein carefully to avoid running out.
When the Pattern Seems Wrong
Check the designer's website or Ravelry pattern page for an errata document before assuming you're making an error. Knitting patterns are edited by humans and contain mistakes — published errata are common. If you've confirmed you're following the pattern correctly and the math still doesn't work, check the pattern's Ravelry page comments section; other knitters will have noted the same issue and often post corrections.
If you're working from a pattern in a book, check the publisher's website. Most major knitting publishers maintain publicly available errata lists.
Stuck on a specific abbreviation or instruction that doesn't make sense? KnittingFix can decode it — paste the exact text of the confusing instruction and we'll explain what it means and how to work it.