Fiddle Knits Designs | Beautifully detailed patterns for the hand knitter and crocheter
Created by Erica Jackofsky
Fiddle Knits Recommends
Looking to increase your knitting library? The books in this list are some of my personal favorites. If you're interested in designing, or altering, knit garments I highly recommend Knitwear Design Workshop by Shirley Paden.
Knitting Stitch Guide and Abbreviations
This page contains all stitch explanations and abbreviations used within Fiddle Knits patterns.
Abbreviations given are [mostly] standard and meanings will remain the same across all knitting patterns from other designers and sources as well.
Stitch Guide
1x1 Twisted Ribbing
1x1 ribbing is formed by working [k1, p1] across a row or round. To make it “twisted” you will work the knit stitches through the back loops on the right side of the fabric. If working in rows then you will also need to work the purl stitches through the back loop on wrong side rows.
2 x 2 Ribbing
Circular (multiple of 4 stitches)
Round 1: *Knit 2 stitches, purl 2 stitches; repeat from * around, or as indicated.
Flat (multiple of 4 + 2)
Row 1: *Knit 2 stitches, purl 2 stitches; repeat from * to last 2 stitches, knit 2.
Row 2: *Purl 2 stitches, knit 2 stitches; repeat from * to last 2 stitches, purl 2.
2 Stitch Reinforced Button Hole
Slip 1 stitch with yarn in front.
Move yarn to back.
Bind off 2 stitches.
Slip loop from last bound off stitch back to left needle.
Turn your work (WS is now facing you).
Cast on 3 stitches using cable cast on.
Turn your work (RS is now facing you).
Slip the last 2 stitches you just cast on from your right needle to your left needle.
Knit 2 together.
Alternate Beading
Within the pattern I have you applying a bead to the last knit stitch on 2 right side rows within the 6-row pattern repeat. (See k1w/b above.) I personally find working beads onto a knit stitch to be very fussy, however, it is the simplest way to write it within a pattern. Also, it is the “most obvious” if you simply grab the supplies and go for it. If you feel like you’re losing time and energy trying to get the beads to sit properly by knitting a bead on, try this method instead:
On the same rows that call for a bead in the pattern, work as instructed until the last 2 sts of the row. Move your yarn to the front of your work and slide a bead up toward your right needle. Keeping your yarn in front, slip the next stitch on the left needle purl-wise onto the right needle. Move your yarn to the back of your work and knit the last stitch of the row. The bead should now be sitting at the front of your work and will cover the slipped stitch.
C4B — Cable 4 Back
Slip the first 2 stitches on your left needle to a cable needle and hold to the back (WS) of your work. Knit the next 2 stitches on your left needle. Slip the 2 stitches on your cable needle back onto your left needle and knit 2 stitches.
C4F — Cable 4 Front
Slip the first 2 stitches on your left needle to a cable needle and hold to the front (RS) of your work. Knit the next 2 stitches on your left needle. Slip the 2 stitches on your cable needle back to left needle and knit 2 stitches.
C6B — Cable 6 Back
Slip the first 3 stitches on your left needle to a cable needle and hold to the back (WS) of your work. Knit the next 3 stitches on your left needle. Slip the 3 stitches on your cable needle back to left needle and knit 3 stitches.
C6F — Cable 6 Front
Slip the first 3 stitches on your left needle to a cable needle and hold to the front (RS) of your work. Knit the next 3 stitches on your left needle. Slip the 3 stitches on your cable needle back to left needle and knit 3 stitches.
Cable cast on
If you are working the cable cast on and already have live stitches on your needles then skip Steps 1 & 2.
- Step 1: Begin by placing a slip knot on your left needle.
- Step 2: Knit through the slip knot leaving the stitch you just made on the left needle. You should now have two loops on your left needle.
- Step 3: Insert your right needle under your left needle and between the first two loops on your left needle. Wrap the yarn over the right needle as if you were knitting a stitch, pull the wrap through, and place the loop/stitch you just made on your left needle. One stitch cast on.
*Repeat Step 3 until you have cast on the required number of stitches.
CDD – Central double decrease
RS– Slip next two stitches together as if to knit. Knit 1 stitch. Pass two slipped stitches over the knit stitch.
Two stitches decreased.
WS– Slip next two stitches together as if to purl through the back loop. Purl 1 stitch. Pass two slipped stitches over the purl stitch. Two stitches decreased.
K1w/b — Knit 1 with bead
Slide a bead up to your right needle and knit the next stitch. A single bead is placed on the stitch while knitting it.
K2tog — Knit 2 together
(right slanting decrease)
Knit the first two stitches on left needle together as you would one stitch.
One stitch decreased.
K3p – Knit 3 pass
Knit 3 stitches as normal. Pass the first of these 3 stitches that you knit (it will be the 3rd stitch from your right needle tip) over the other 2. One stitch decreased.
K3tog — Knit 3 together
(right slanting decrease)
Knit the first three stitches on left needle together as you would one stitch. Two stitches decreased.
K3tog Tbl — Knit 3 together through back loop
(Left slanting decrease)
Knit the first three stitches on left needle together as you would one stitch working through the back loops.
Two stitches decreased.
Kf&b — Knit front & back
Knit into the front of the first stitch on left needle as normal. Without removing stitch from needle, knit again into the back loop of the first stitch on left needle. One stitch has been increased.
Kitchener Stitch
Kitchener stitch is used to create a seamless look in your knitting. The most common place to find it used is the toe of a sock.
- Step 1: Thread a tapestry needle with the long tail at the end of your knitting, or use another length of matching yarn.
- Step 2: Divide your stitches evenly between 2 needles and hold needles parallel to each other. Make sure the RS of the fabric face out and both needle tips point in the same direction.
- Step 3: Insert tapestry needle into the first stitch on the front needle as if to purl. Pull yarn through leaving the stitch on needle.
- Step 4: Insert tapestry needle into the first stitch on the back needle as if to knit. Pull yarn through leaving the stitch on needle.
- Step 5: Insert tapestry needle into the first stitch on the front needle knitwise. Pull yarn through and slip stitch from needle.
- Step 6: Insert tapestry needle in next stitch on the front needle purlwise. Pull yarn through and leave the stitch on needle.
- Step 7: Insert tapestry needle into the first stitch on the back needle purlwise. Pull yarn through and slip stitch from needle.
- Step 8: Insert tapestry needle in next stitch on the back needle knitwise. Pull yarn through and leave the stitch on needle.
*Repeat Steps 5 – 8 until all sts have been grafted together. When you have 2 sts left work Step 5 & then Step 8. Fasten off and weave in end.
For a good photo reference of kitchener check this tutorial.
Knitted Bind Off
Knit the first two stitches on left needle together to decrease one stitch. Place the stitch you just made back on the left needle. Repeat this process until only one stitch remains. Cut yarn and fasten off last stitch.
LTP — Left twist purl back
Slip one stitch to cable needle and hold front, purl one stitch, knit stitch from cable needle.
M1 — Make 1
Pick up a stitch from the row below the working stitch on the left-hand needle.
On a RS/knit row: Knit into this stitch.
On a WS/purl row: purl into this stitch from the back.
One stitch increased.
M1P – Make 1 Purl
Pick up a stitch from the row below the working stitch on the left-hand needle. Purl into this stitch from the back.
One stitch increased.
M1R — Make 1 right
This increase causes the new stitch to slant to the right.
Knit through the back of the stitch one row below the first stitch on your left needle. Knit the next stitch through the back loop.
One stitch has been increased.
M1L — Make 1 Left
This increase causes the new stitch to slant to the left.
Knit through the left leg of the stitch one row below the first stitch on your right needle.
One stitch increased.
MC3 – 3 stitch mock cable
Skip 2 stitches and insert right needle as if to knit into front of 3rd stitch. Take this loop on the point of the needle across the front of the 2 skipped stitches, so this stitch now appears to be first, knit stitch as normal. Then slip the 3rd stitch off the left needle and over the 2 skipped stitches. Knit 2.
Nupp
Knit front and back twice into next stitch on left needle. You now have 4 stitches on your right needle. Working from right to lefthand side, pass 1st, 2nd, then 3rd stitch that you just made over the 4th stitch (closest to tip of needle).
No stitches have been increased.
P2tog — Purl 2 together
Purl the first two stitches on left needle together as you would one stitch.
One stitch decreased.
P2tog Tbl – Purl 2 together through the back loops
(left slanting decrease on RS/knit side)
Purl the first two stitches on the left needle together working through the back loops.
One stitch decreased.
P3tog — Purl 3 together
Purl the first three stitches on left needle together as you would one stitch.
Two stitches decreased.
Pf&b — Purl front and Back
Purl into first stitch on left needle as normal. Leave stitch on left needle. Purl into the back of this same stitch. Drop stitch from left needle.
One stitch increased.
Picot Bind Off
- Step 1: Cast on 2 stitches using cable cast on.
- Step 2: Bind off 4 stitches.
- Step 3: Move last bound off stitch from right needle to your left needle and cable cast on 2 stitches.
- Step 4: Bind off 4 stitches
*Repeat Steps 3 & 4 until all sts have been bound off.
RTP — Right twist purl back
Slip one stitch to cable needle and hold back, knit one stitch, purl stitch from cable needle.
Sewn Bind Off
Cut yarn at least 3 times longer than circumference of garment. Thread with a tapestry needle.
- Step 1: Insert tapestry needle & pull yarn through first 2 sts on left needle as if to purl.
- Step 2: Insert tapestry needle knitwise through first st on left needle. Pull yarn through and remove first st from needle. One stitch bound off.
*Repeat steps 1 & 2 until all sts have been bound off.
Skp — Slip, knit, pass
(left slanting decrease)
Slip one stitch knitwise from left to right needle, knit one stitch, pass slipped stitch over stitch you just knit.
One stitch decreased.
Sk2p — Slip, knit 2 together, pass
Slip first stitch from left needle to right needle. Knit 2 stitches together. Pass slipped stitch over last stitch made by knitting 2 together.
Ssk — Slip, slip, knit
(left slanting decrease on RS/ knit side)
Slip first stitch as if to knit, slip second stitch as if to purl. Knit both of these stitches together through the front loops. One stitch has been decreased.
Ssp — Slip, slip, purl
(right slanting decrease on WS/left slanting on RS)
Slip first stitch as if to knit, slip second stitch as if to knit. Place both slipped stitches back on the left needle and purl them together through the back loops. One stitch has been decreased.
St st — Stockinette stitch
Knit every stitch on the right side of work. Purl every stitch on the wrong side of work.
T2R — Twist 2 Right
Place one stitch on cable needle and hold back, knit one stitch, knit one stitch from cable needle.
T2L — Twist 2 Left
Place one stitch on cable needle and hold front, knit one stitch, knit one stitch from cable needle.
TBL — Through back loop
Knit or purl through back loop of stitch on left needle as indicated.
Work in established pattern
This is a very literal instruction and means keep doing exactly what you have been doing. If you have just worked a round of k2, p2 ribbing and now your pattern is telling you to “work as established” then you will continue working rounds of 2x2 ribbing until instructed to do otherwise. Essentially you will knit the knits and purl the purls as you see them.
YO – Yarn over
Wrap the working yarn from back to front around your right needle. Work the next stitch as directed in pattern. One stitch has been increased.
Essentially a yarn over is just adding an extra loop to your work. This increase will show as a whole/eyelet in the knitting. It is the most common type of increase for lace knitting.
Abbreviations
| " | Inch(es) |
| * | Indicates repeat |
| [ ] |
Repeat instructions within as noted |
| * | Indicates a repeat |
| BL | Back loop |
| BO | Bind off |
| CC | Coordinating color |
| CO | Cast on |
| Dec | Decrease |
| FL | Front loop |
| Inc | Increase |
| K | Knit |
| K2tog |
Knit 2 together |
| K3p | Knit 3 pass |
| K3tog | Knit 3 together |
| Ktbl | Knit through back loop |
| Ltp | Left twist purl |
| M1 | Make 1 |
| M1L | Make 1 left |
| M1R | Make 1 right |
| MC3 | 3 st mock cable |
| P | Purl |
| P2tog | Purl 2 together |
| P3tog | Purl 3 together |
| Ptbl | Purl through back loop |
| Rnd | Round |
| RS | Right side |
| Rtp | Right twist purl |
| Skp | Slip, knit, pass |
| Sk2p | Slip, k2tog, pass |
| Ssk | Slip, slip, knit |
| Ssp | Slip, slip, purl |
| St(s) | Stitch(es) |
| St st | Stockinette stitch |
| T2L | Twist 2 stitches left |
| T2R | Twist 2 stitches right |
| TBL | Through back loop |