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Needle Sizes and Glossary

NEEDLE SIZES
 
YARN WEIGHT
US
METRIC
UK
 
UK
US
0
2mm
14
 
4ply
Sport
1
2.25mm
13
 
Double Knitting
Light worsted
1.5
2.5mm
-
 
Aran
Fisherman/Worsted
2
2.75mm
12
 
Chunky
Bulky
2.5
3mm
11
 
Super chunky
Extra bulky
3
3.25mm
10
 
 
 
4
3.5mm
-
 
 
 
5
3.75mm
9
 
 
 
6
4mm
8
 
 
 
7
4.5mm
7
 
 
 
8
5mm
6
 
 
 
9
5.5mm
5
 
 
 
10
6mm
4
 
 
 
10.5
6.5mm
3
 
 
 
10.75
7mm
2
 
 
 
10.875
7.5mm
1
 
 
 
11
8mm
0
 
 
 
13
9mm
00
 
 
 
15
10mm
000
 
 
 
17
12mm
-
 
 
 
19
15mm
-
 
 
 
36
20mm
-
 
 
 
50
25mm
-
 
 
 

 

Yarn type Wraps per inch (wpi)
Bulky 6 or fewer wpi
Chunky 7 wpi
Aran 8 wpi
Worsted 9 wpi
Double knit (DK) 11 wpi
Sport 12 wpi
Fingering or 4-ply 14 wpi
3-ply 16-18 wpi
Lace, cobweb, superfine or thread 18 or more wpi

KNITTING ABBREVIATIONS

alt
alternate
approx
approximately
beg
beginning
CB
cable back
CC
contrast colour
CF
cable forward
circ
circular
corresp
corresponding
cm
centimetre(s)
cn
cable needle
cont
continue
dec
decrease (work two stitches together)
DK
double knitting
DPN(s)
double pointed needle(s)
est
established
foll
following
folls
follows
g
gram
g st
garter stitch
inc
increase
in/ins
inch/inches
K
knit
KFB
knit into front and back of stitch
kwise
by knitting the stitch
K2tog
knit two together
lp(s)
loop(s)
LH/lh
left hand
LT
left twist
meas
measures
m
metre(s)
mm
millimetere(s)
M1
make one
M1L
make one twisted to the left
M1R
make one twisted to the right
M1p
make one purlwise
MB
make bobble
MC
main colour
MS
main shade
m-st
moss stitch
No
number
oz
ounces
P
purl
patt(s)
pattern(s)
patt rep(s)
pattern repeat(s)
patt 2 tog
pattern next 2 sts together, keeping continuity of patt
PB
place bead
PFB
purl into front and back of stitch
PM
place marker
P2tog
purl 2 together (1 stitch decreased)
P3tog
purl 3 together (2 stitches decreased)
prev
previous
psso
pass slipped stitch over
p2sso
pass two slipped stitches over
pwise
by purling the stitch
rem
remain/remaining
rep(s)
repeat(s)
rev
reverse, reversing
rev st st
reverse stocking stitch
RH
right hand
rnd(s)
round(s)
RS
right side
skpo
slip one stitch, knit one stitch, pass slipped stitch over
s2kpo
slip 2 stitches as if to work k2tog, k1, pass both slipped stitches over the knitted stitch
SH(s)
stitch holder(s)
Sl slip
sl st slip stitch
slm slip marker
SSK slip 2 stitches to RH needle one at a time, knit 2 slipped stitches together tbl
SSP slip 2 stitches to RH needle one at a time, purl 2 slipped stitches together tbl
st(s) stitches
st st stocking stitch
tbl through back of loop
tfl
through front of loop
tog together
w&t wrap and turn
WS wrong side
wyib with yarn in back
wyif with yarn in front
yb take yarn to back (no inc)
yf bring yarn to front (no inc)
yfwd yarn forward
yo yarn over
yon
yarn over needle
yrn yarn round needle
y2rn
yarn wrapped twice around needle
0 no stitches or number of times

Semi-solid - semi-solid shades/colours are a single colour but as they have been hand-dyed they have subtle shade variations within the skein, this is why they are also referred to as limited edition - the exact variations and hues cannot be repeated from lot to lot!

Pooling - the term "pooling" is used when the colours of a semi-solid, speckled or variegated yarn all come together in the same place in the knitted fabric. To prevent this, alternate the skein (or "cake") you are knitting from every other row or round. This also eases the transition.

Virgn Wool - wool that has been spun for the first time.