Each symbol in a knitting chart has its own meaning—it represents a specific stitch. Most symbols are worked differently on right-side and wrong-side rows, which often causes confusion—making knitters perform the wrong action while still thinking it’s correct.
Therefore, the knitting symbols below are explained for both right-side rows and wrong-side rows to help knitters avoid unpleasant surprises when they look back at their finished work and wonder what on earth just happened.
🟥 Basic symbols
| SYMBOL | RIGHT SIDE | WRONG SIDE |
|---|---|---|
|
CO Cast on |
CO Cast on |
|
BO Bind off |
BO Bind off |
|
No stitch | No stitch |
|
K Knit |
P Purl |
|
P Purl |
K Knit |
|
K tbl Knit through the back loop |
P tbl Purl through the back loop |
|
P tbl Purl through the back loop |
K tbl Knit through the back loop |
|
K1b Knit 1 below |
P1b Purl 1 below |
|
Sl wyib Slip stitch with yarn in back |
Sl wyif Slip stitch with yarn in front |
|
Sl wyif Slip stitch with yarn in front |
Sl wyib Slip stitch with yarn in back |
🟥 Yarn over symbols
| SYMBOL | RIGHT SIDE | WRONG SIDE |
|---|---|---|
|
Yo Yarn over |
Yo Yarn over |
|
Yo x2 Yarn over twice |
Yo x2 Yarn over twice |
|
Yo x3 Yarn over three times |
Yo x3 Yarn over three times |
|
Kyok (K1, yo, k1) in the same stitch |
Pyop (P1, yo, p1) in the same stitch |
|
Pyop (P1, yo, p1) in the same stitch |
Kyok (K1, yo, k1) in the same stitch |
🟥 Increase Symbols
| SYMBOL | RIGHT SIDE | WRONG SIDE |
|---|---|---|
|
M1r / M1l Make one stitch (right/left) |
M1rp / M1lp Make one purl-wise (right/left) |
|
M1rp / M1lp Make one purl-wise (right/left) |
M1r / M1l Make one stitch (right/left) |
|
LLI Left-leaning lifted increase |
LLIp Left lifted increase (purled) |
|
RLI Right-leaning lifted increase |
RLIp Right lifted increase (purled) |
|
LLIp Left lifted increase (purled) |
LLI Left-leaning lifted increase |
|
RLIp Right lifted increase (purled) |
RLI Right-leaning lifted increase |
|
(k1, p1) in one stitch |
(p1, k1) in one stitch |
 |
(k1, p1, k1) in one stitch |
(p1, k1, p1) in one stitch |
🟥 Decrease Symbols
| SYMBOL | RIGHT SIDE | WRONG SIDE |
|---|---|---|
|
Ssk Slip slip knit |
Ssp Slip slip purl |
|
K2tog Knit two stitches together |
P2tog Purl two stitches together |
|
Ssp Slip slip purl |
Ssk Slip slip knit |
|
P2tog Purl two stitches together |
K2tog Knit two stitches together |
|
Sssk Slip slip slip knit |
Sssp Slip slip slip purl |
|
K3tog Knit three stitches together |
P3tog Purl three stitches together |
|
Sssp Slip slip slip purl |
Sssk Slip slip slip knit |
|
P3tog Purl three stitches together |
K3tog Knit three stitches together |
|
S2kp Slip 2 knitwise, knit 1, pass slipped stitches over |
R2P3tog Reorder 2, knit 3 stitches together |
|
R2P3TOG Reorder 2, Purl 3 stitches together |
S2kp Slip 2 knitwise, knit 1, pass slipped stitches over |
|
K4tog Knit 4 together |
P4tog Purl 4 together |
|
K5tog Knit 5 together |
P5tog Purl 5 together |
|
K7tog Knit 7 together |
P7tog Purl 7 together |
🟥 Brioche symbols
| SYMBOL | RIGHT SIDE | WRONG SIDE |
|---|---|---|
|
brk Brioche knit, a.k.a bark |
brp Brioche purl, a.k.a burp |
|
brp Brioche purl, a.k.a burp |
brk Brioche knit, a.k.a bark |
|
yf sl1yo Yarn Forward, Slip 1, Yarn Over |
yf sl1yo Yarn Forward, Slip 1, Yarn Over |
|
brk2tog Brioche knit 2 stitches together |
brp2tog Brioche purl 2 stitches together |
|
brssk Slip, slip, bark 1, pass slipped stitches over |
brssp Slip, slip, burp 1, pass slipped stitches over |
|
brk3tog bark 3 stitches together |
brp3tog burp 3 stitches together |
|
brsssk Slip, slip, bark 1, pass slipped stitches over |
brsssp Slip, slip, burp 1, pass slipped stitches over |
|
brp2tog Brioche purl 2 stitches together |
brk2tog Brioche knit 2 stitches together |
|
brssp Slip, slip, burp 1, pass slipped stitches over |
brssk Slip, slip, bark pass slipped stitches over |
|
brp3tog burp 3 stitches together |
brk3tog bark 3 stitches together |
|
brsssp Slip, slip, burp 1, slipped stitches over |
brsssk Slip, slip, bark 1, pass slipped stitches over |
|
brcdd Brioche centred double decrease |
brcddp Brioche centred double decrease purlwise |
|
brcddp Brioche centred double decrease purlwise |
brcdd Brioche centred double decrease |
|
brk tbl Bark through the back loop |
brp tbl Burp through the back loop |
Note: Always refer to the pattern key that comes with the chart (if available) to avoid mistakes — otherwise, you might only realize something went wrong when your knitting starts looking… a little different from the pattern.
