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I was recently writing about a project I was working on over on the AllFreeKnitting Facebook page, and used a couple of shorthand terms. I quickly realized that some of our newer knitters might not know these knitting terms that I had used as they are more of a popular “knitter’s slang”, so I thought that it might be a fun post to share with you all. These are the most common knitting terms that the more seasoned knitters on social media use– but, trust me, there are more.. and a whole set related to just crochet as well.
So now when you are talking about your newest knit hat pattern on Facebook or down at the LYS, you’ll be “in the know” and can keep up with the conversation. And don’t worry if you have to frog that free knit sweater pattern, you’ll be able to cast-on again and get a beautiful FO before you know it. 🙂
Cake: Yarn wound into a cylindrical shape where both top and bottom are flat and there is a center yarn to pull out.
DPN: Double Pointed Needles
DS: Destash (sell or trade unwanted yarn)
EOR: End Of Row or Every Other Row
FLASHING: Similar to pooling below, but more linear in design
FO: Finished Object
frog: To rip back (for the sound “rip it, rip it”) by removing the needles and undoing all your hard work
frog pond: a storage place for knitted items waiting to be frogged
FSOT: For Sale or Trade
Gifted: The act of giving yarn/items to another for free
ISO: In Search Of
KAL: Knit ALong
KIP: Knit In Public
LYS: Local Yarn Store
muggle: non-knitter
OTN: On The Needles
PIF: Pay It Forward
Pooling: When one color in a Variegated yarn bunches together in an area.
Puddling: similar to pooling, but more like a blotch.
RAK: Random Act of Kindness, a small gift to a fellow knitter
SABLE: Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy
SEX: Stash Enhancement eXperience, aka buying yarn
Tink:Tink is knit spelled backwards. To undo knit stitches by reversing the knitting motion, effectively un-knitting the stitch.
TOAD: Trashed Object Abandoned in Disgust
UFO: UnFinished Object (usually an abandoned or neglected WIP)
Vanilla: An easy, plain pattern.
WIP: Work In Progress
WPI: Wraps Per Inch (number of times yarn will wrap loosely around ruler or similar tool in one inch; more wraps indicates thinner yarn)
yarn barf: a big lump of yarn that comes out of a new ball of yarn
Yarnie: independent dyer or spinner with a small business, lover of all that is yarn
Have you heard other “knitter’s slang” that I should include here? Share below, and I’ll update the post!
AllFreeKnitting
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PIGS – Project In Grocery Sack
I am trying to crochet the Tunisian baby blanket but am very confused with the pattern. First stripe – triangles – no problem – then there is a block of pattern about “squares” – then the second stripe which indeed is squares. So where does this bit between the first and second stripes fit in? Can anyone help please?
You mention a whole set of slang terms that are related to crochet as well as these listed in knitter’s slang in your article “Knitter’s Slang: Knitting Terms You Need to Know”. Where would I find these terms? I have run into an odd one or two lately for crochet and had quite a time finding out the meaning. A Crochet Slang article as suggested in your article would be appreciated. Thank you.
You’re right Margaret – that is in the works… stay tuned.
Yarn Bombing: Decorate a public monument/place with yarn decorations.
OKD – obsessive knitting disorder!
PHD – Projects half
Lifeline – waste yarn woven into stitches for a safety net
What is P-INC? I can’t figure it out… on some Web sites it says “purl increasing” and on others it says otherwise….
Please share to the Facebook group Ravelry free pattern (knit only) as well. Thanks!
Potato chip knitting (or crochet) — a project or pattern that you’re willing to knit or crochet again and again
“Yarn Crawl” is another good term, a trip where knitters get together and hit several LYSs over the course of a day (or two or three…)
FLY – From Leftover Yarn
Yarn chicken: a “game” knitters (and crocheters) play when they are nearing the end of a particular quantity of yarn and the knitter keeps working on the project in the hopes they will have just enough yarn to finish the project. Sometimes, the knitter is successful, and sometimes it results in an epic fail, being just a few inches or feet shy of actually being able to complete the project.
let’s not forget ‘fart’ … fiber acquisition road trip!
HOTN – Hot off the Needles