B E Y O N D T H E B A S I C S

Making Sense of Symbols:

A Guide to Reading Charts
Ann Budd

M
ANY BEGINNING KNITTERS pale at the the right side of the knitting is always facing out), all
sight of a knitting pattern, temporarily para- rows are read from right to left.
lyzed by the seemingly complicated abbrevi- Most charts, including the ones in Interweave Knits,
ations and symbols (k2tog, ssk, brackets, parentheses, are plotted on a square grid. Because knitted stitches
asterisks, . . .). But most knitters quickly realize that tend to be wider than they are tall, motifs worked from
pattern language is actually quite simple; rather than such charts will appear squatter in the actual knitting
an unbreakable code, it is truly a useful shorthand. Curi- than they appear on the grid. To avoid this discrep-
ously, however, many knitters ancy when designing your own
never make the jump to follow- Common Chart Symbols project, you can use proportional
ing charted patterns, failing to & Definitions knitter’s graph paper (available at
understand how logical and, yes, right side: knit
knitting stores).
easy to follow, they really are. wrong side: purl Symbols: Though not all pub-
Charts have several advan- right side: purl lications use exactly the same
tages over row-by-row knitting wrong side: knit symbols (for example, some use a
instructions written out in right side: k2tog horizontal dash to denote a purl
words: They let you see at a wrong side: p2tog stitch, others use a dot), for the
glance what’s to be done and right side: k3tog most part, the symbols represent
wrong side p3tog
what the pattern will look like what the stitches look like when
knitted; they help you recog- right side: ssk viewed from the right side of the
wrong side: ssp
nize how the stitches relate to knitting. Symbols that slant to the
right side: sl 2 sts individually, k1,
one another; and they take up p2sso; wrong side: p2tog and place st
left represent left-slanting stitches.
less space than written instruc- on left needle, pass next st over this st, Symbols that slant to the right
return st to right needle
tions. These days, more and represent right-slanting stitches.
more patterns are being charted M Make 1 Notice how the symbols in the
instead of written out row-by- charts at right mimic the stitches
row, and that means it is more yarn over in the knitted fabrics.
important than ever to learn Because charts are presented
work through back loop
how to read them. Once you b of stitch as viewed from the right side only,
add this skill to your repertoire, most symbols represent two differ-
no stitch
your choices as a knitter ex- ent maneuvers—one for right-side
pand nicely. Right cross: place specified rows and another for wrong-side
number of sts onto cable rows. For example, for stockinette
needle and hold in back,
The Anatomy of a Chart knit specified number of stitch, you knit the stitches on
Charts are a visual represen- sts, knit specified number right-side rows and purl them on
of sts from cable needle
tation of a knitted fabric viewed wrong-side rows. However, charted
from the right side. Charts are Left cross: place specified stockinette stitch shows only the
number of sts onto cable
plotted on graph paper so that needle and hold in front, right, or knit, side. A list of the
one square represents one stitch knit specified number of most common symbols and their
sts, knit specified number
and one horizontal row repre- of sts from cable needle right- and wrong-side definitions
sents one row of knitting. The is presented in the box at left.
symbols or colors in the squares No stitch: Many stitch pat-
indicate how to work each stitch. For colorwork charts, terns, especially lace, involve increases or decreases
the colors represent yarn colors; for texture work, the that cause the stitch count to rise or fall, thereby re-
symbols represent stitch manipulations. Unless other- quiring the number of boxes in a chart to vary from one
wise specified, charts are read from the bottom to the row to the next. For some patterns, these variations are
top, right to left for right-side rows, and left to right for simply represented by uneven chart edges. For other
wrong-side rows. When knitting in the round (where patterns, adding or subtracting boxes at the edge of a

78 INTERWEAVE KNITS www.interweave.com Interweave Press ® Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
chart may disrupt the vertical stitch alignment. In these marked in between. On right-side rows, work from
cases, a special symbol for “no stitch” is used within the right to left, working the stitches on the right edge
center of the chart. These symbols accommodate once, then the repeat as many times as necessary, and
“missing” stitches while they maintain the vertical end by working the stitches on the left edge once. On
integrity of the pattern. In Interweave Knits, missing wrong-side rows, work from left to right, working the
stitches are represented by gray shaded boxes. When stitches on the left edge once, the repeat box as many
you come to a shaded box, simply skip over it and times as necessary, and end by working the stitches
continue to the end of the row as if it doesn’t exist. on the right edge once.
Row numbers: Rows are numbered along the side Charts for multisized garments will most likely have
of most charts, especially long or complicated ones. different numbers of edge stitches for the different
Row numbers appearing sizes. Read the instruc-
along the right edge denote tions and chart carefully,
right-side rows to be read Comparing Charts & Swatches and be sure to begin and
from right to left. Row num- end as specified for the
bers appearing along the left size you are making.
edge denote wrong-side rows
to be read from left to right. Helfpul Hints
For example, if the number — If a chart is so small
1 is on the right edge of the or complicated that it
chart, that and all subsequent causes your eyes to strain,
odd-numbered rows are right- Notice how the stitches mimic the chart copy it onto larger graph
side rows; all even-numbered symbols in this simple lace pattern. paper or make a photo-
rows are worked from the copy enlargement. If the
wrong side (from left to chart involves colorwork Think of a knitting
right). With few exceptions, 11 and you don’t have access chart as a short-
charts in Interweave Knits 9 to a color photocopier, use hand or cartoon
designate Row 1 as a right- 7 colored pencils or mark- representation of the
side row. For some patterns, ers to color in the appro- knitted fabric. Each
5
this necessitates a “set-up priate boxes. square represents
3
row” be worked prior to the — Keep your place while one stitch. The
1
first row of the chart to get working a chart by hold- shapes and slants
pattern repeat of the symbols
the stitches in the necessary ing a straightedge or row
sequence of knits and purls. finder on the chart and imitate the shapes
Pattern repeats: All using a row counter on and slants of the
charts show at least one pat- your knitting needle. You knitted stitches.
tern repeat. If the repeat is can place the straightedge
complex, more than one re- either above or below the
peat is charted to help you see row you’re working on;
how the individual motifs placing it on the row
look adjacent to each other. above will let you see
In row-by-row instruc- The chart symbols for cables indicate the how the stitches relate to
tions, pattern repeats are direction of the cable-twists. the previous row (the one
flanked by asterisks or square you just knitted). Once
brackets. On charts, these 11 you’ve worked a couple of
repeats are outlined in heavy 9 repeats from the chart,
or colored boxes, or they’re 7 you may be able to look
annotated at the lower or 5
at your knitting rather
upper edge of the chart. than the chart to figure
3
Some patterns that are out what comes next.
1
worked back and forth in — If you plan to design a
pattern repeat
rows require extra stitches to sweater or other piece
balance a charted pattern. around a charted design,
In row-by-row instructions, such patterns are reported be sure to center the design over the center stitch of
as repeating over a multiple of a number of stitches the piece. Otherwise, you will end up with a partial re-
plus extra stitches (i.e., balanced 2×2 ribbing worked peat at one edge that isn’t mirrored at the other. Y
back and forth is a multiple of 4 stitches plus 2). On
charts, these balancing stitches appear at the right Ann Budd is managing editor of Interweave Knits.
and left margins of the chart, with the repeat clearly

Summer 2000 INTERWEAVE KNITS 79

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