How to Read a Knitting Chart
A knitting chart is a grid of cells, where each cell represents one stitch and the symbol inside it tells you which stitch to work. Charts are read bottom to top, since knitting grows upward, and rows usually alternate direction: odd (right-side) rows are read right to left, even (wrong-side) rows left to right — matching how the knitting sits on your needles.
Core symbols
| Symbol | Abbr. | Stitch | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| k | Knit stitch | The basic knit stitch — an empty cell on the chart. | |
| p | Purl stitch | The basic purl stitch, shown as a horizontal dash. | |
| yo | Yarn over | An extra loop that creates a hole — the basis of lace patterns. | |
| k2tog | Knit 2 together (right-leaning) | A decrease: two stitches knit together, leaning right. | |
| ssk | Slip-slip-knit (left-leaning) | A decrease: two stitches knit together, leaning left. | |
| bobble | Bobble | A raised bump made from several stitches worked into one and pulled back together. | |
| BO | Bind off | Marks where stitches are bound off — the end of a row or piece. | |
| cable | Cable element | A group of stitches crossed over each other, forming a raised braid. |
How to read rows
The row number is usually labeled at the side of the chart, at its start. If a chart is marked for circular knitting (a raglan sweater or a hat, for example), every row is read in the same direction — right to left — since the right side always faces you.
Decreases, yarn overs and the repeat
Lace patterns balance yarn overs (which add a stitch and a hole) against decreases (which combine stitches) — their counts per row usually match, so the total stitch count stays the same. The repeat is the recurring chunk of the chart, usually marked with a box; work it the required number of times across the row to build the full pattern.
Cables
Cables are shown with symbols that look like crossed lines: a group of stitches is held on a cable needle in front of or behind the work, the next stitches are worked, then the held stitches are worked afterward — swapping their positions to form a twisted braid.
Try building your own chart
CastonLab ships with a ready-made library of all these symbols — place them on a grid and build your own chart right in the browser, free and with no signup.
Open the knitting chart editor