If you can add any of the missing definitions marked as “xxx“to this list please let me know.
| English | Deutsch (German) |
|---|---|
| aran(sweater typical of Aran Islands off the coast of Ireland); aran weight(describes yarn of medium weight, suitable for knitting at gauge of 16 to 20 stitches per 10cm (= 4 inches), with 4.5 – 5.5mm needles (US7 – US9), (No. 4 inStandard Yarn Weight System, | Aran / Zopfpullover |
| backwards loop (cast on) = single (cast on) | xxx |
| ball(s) (of yarn) | Knäuel |
| batt(s) (of fiber) | xxx |
| beret(s) | Barett |
| bind off (BO), cast off (CO) | abketten |
| (to) block, blocking | spannen |
| button(s) | Knopf (Knöpfe) |
| buttonhole(s) | Knopfloch |
| cable(s) | Zopf |
| cable (cast on) | xxx |
| cable 2 back (C2B) (place 2 stitches on holder behind work, knit the next 2 stitches, then knit the stitches from the holder ; makes a right leaning cable) | 2 Maschen auf Zopfnadel hinter die Arbeit legen, die nächsten beiden stricken, dann die beiden Maschen von der Zopfnadel stricken; ergibt eine rechtsgeneigte Verzopfung |
| cable 2 front (C2F) (place 2 stitches on holder in front of work, knit the next 2 stitches, then knit the stitches from the holder ; makes a left leaning cable) | 2 Maschen auf Zopfnadel vor die Arbeit legen, die nächsten beiden stricken, dann die beiden Maschen von der Zopfnadel stricken; ergibt eine linksgeneigte Verzopfung |
| cap(s) (soft head covering that loses some of its shape when off the head) | Mütze |
| cap(s) (head covering with a firm brim in front) | Kappe |
| (to) card | kardieren |
| cardigan(s)(sweater with full length front opening) | Strickjacke |
| cast off (CO), bind off (BO) | abketten |
| cast on (CO) | anschlagen |
| circular needle(s) ( CIRC(S) ) | Rund(strick)nadel |
| coat(s)(heavy garment that opens in front, to wear outdoors) | Mantel |
| (to) crochet | häkeln |
| cuff(s) (of a mitten or glove) | Bündchen / Manschette |
| cuff(s) (of a sock) | Bündchen |
| cushion(s) | Kissen / Polster |
| decrease(s) (DECR) | abnehmen |
| double | doppelt |
| double pointed needle(s) (DPN) | Nadelspiel |
| (to) drop a stitch, dropped stitch(es) | xxx |
| duplicate stitch | xxx |
| edge(s) | Rand (Ränder) |
| even 1. even(rows) 2. (to) knit even | 1. gerade (Reihen) 2. glatt stricken (rechts oder links) |
| Fair Isle (type of stranded knitting with two colors per row or round) | xxx |
| felt, felting | Filz, filzen |
| finished object(s) (FO) | fertiges Teil / Objekt |
| (to) frog | aufribbeln / aufziehen / auftrennen |
| garter stitch | kraus rechts |
| gauge (US), tension (UK) | Maschenprobe |
| German twisted cast on = Old Norwegian cast on | xxx |
| glove(s) | Handschuh |
| glove(s), fingerless | fingerlose Handschuhe |
| (to) graft | im Maschenstich verbinden / zusammennähen |
| gusset | xxx |
| handspun | handgesponnen |
| hat(s) (US),toque(s) (UK-Can), cap(s)(soft head covering that loses some of its shape when off the head) | Kappe / Mütze |
| hat(s) (firm head covering that keeps its shape when off the head) | Hut |
| 1. hem(s) 2.(to) hem | Saum |
| 1. I-cord 2.attached I-cord | xxx |
| increase(s) (INCR) | Zunahme / zunehmen |
| increase (by making one) (M1) | aus dem Querfaden zunehmen |
| increase (by yarn over) (YO) (see also “make one”) | Zunahme durch Umschlag |
| invisible cast on = provisional cast on | xxx |
| jacket(s)(long sleeved garment, opens in front, heavier than a cardigan, can mean light enough for indoor wear, or heavier weight for outdoor wear; suit jacket) | Jacke /Jackett |
| Kitchener stitch | Maschenstich |
| knit (stitch) (K) | rechte Masche |
| (to) knit (K) | stricken, rechts stricken |
| knit into front and back(increase by making 1 knit stitch into right/front loop, then knit into left/back loop of the same stitch) (KFP) | Dieselbe Masche einmal rechts und einmal rechts verschränkt abstricken (ergibt eine Zunahme, einmal ins vordere Maschenbein, einmal ins hintere Maschenbein einstechen) |
| knitter(s) | Stricker / Strickerin(nen) |
| knitting machine(s) | Strickmaschine |
| knitting-on (cast on) | xxx |
| lace | Lochmuster |
| lining | Futter |
| lock(s) (tufts of wool / fiber) | Locken |
| long tail (cast on) | xxx |
| make one left / front (M1L/M1F)(left leaning M1 increase) | Zunahme links verschränkt aus dem Querfaden |
| make one right / back (M1R/M1B)(right leaning M1 increase) | Zunahme rechts verschränkt aus dem Querfaden |
| marker(s) (place marker (PM), slip marker) | Maschenmarkierer einhängen |
| mitten(s) | Fausthandschuhe |
| moss stitch | Perlmuster |
| napkin(s) | Serviette |
| odd (rows) | ungerade (Reihen) |
| Old Norwegian cast on = German twisted cast on | xxx |
| (knitting) pattern(s) | (Strick) Muster / Anleitung (en) |
| pick up (stitches),pick up and knit(stitches) | xxx |
| pillowcase(s) | Kissenbezug |
| placemat(s) | Platzdeckchen |
| provisional cast on = invisible cast on | xxx |
| purl (stitch) (P) | linke Masche |
| rib (stitch), ribbing(1×1 = k1p1 repeatedly, 3×2 = k3p2 repeatedly, etc.) | Rippen |
| right side (RS) | rechte Seite |
| round (one row in circular knitting), (to) knit in the round | (in) Runden(stricken) |
| roving | xxx |
| row(s) | Reihe(n) |
| seam(s) | Saum |
| seed stitch | xxx |
| self patterning yarn | xxx |
| self striping yarn | xxx |
| selvedge | Randmasche |
| (to) sew | nähen |
| short row(s) | verkürzte Reihe |
| sleeve(s) | Ärmel |
| slip (knitwise=as if to knit=insert right needle into front of stitch, purlwise=as if to purl=insert right needle into back of stitch) (SL) | abheben |
| slip, knit, pass slipped stitch over (SKP, SKPSSO): slip one stitch knitwise, knit the next stitch, pass slipped stitch over knit stitch (makes aleft leaning decrease) | xxx |
| slip, slip, knit (SSK): slip two stitches knitwise (right loops are now in back), insert left needle into the front (left) side of these 2 stitches, knit the 2 stitches together through back (right) loops (makes a left leaning decrease) | 2 Maschen rechts zusammen- stricken |
| slip, slip, purl (SSP): slip two stitches knitwise, return them to left needle (right side of loops is in back), purl 2 together through back loops | 2 Maschen links zusammen- stricken |
| snap(s) | Druckknopf |
| sock(s) | Socken |
| sole(s) | Sohle |
| (to) spin (into yarn) | spinnen |
| square(s) | Quadrat(e) |
| stitch(es) (ST) | Stich / Masche |
| stitch pattern | (Stich) Muster |
| stocking stitch, stockinette stitch (ST ST) | glatt rechts |
| stranded knitting | xxx |
| stripe(s) | Streifen |
| swatch | Maschenprobe |
| sweater(s), pullover(s)(pullover style) | Pullover |
| tablecloth(s) | Tischdecke(n) |
| tam(s) | xxx |
| tension (UK), gauge | Fadenspannung |
| (to) tink (invented term that comes from “knit” spelled backwards) | xxx |
| unfinished object(s) (UFO) | unfertiges Teil / Objekt |
| (to) unravel | auftrennen / entwirren |
| visor (of cap) | Schirm (Kappe / Mütze) |
| work(s) in progress (WIP) | in Arbeit befindlich |
| wrong side (WS) | linke Seite, links |
| yarn(s) | Garn |
| yarn forward (YFWD, YF) (and over needle (YFON), and round needle (YFRN) = YO) | xxx |
| yarn over(s) (YO) | Umschlag |
Searching for a translation of German knitting symbols to English.
Web search keeps directing me to Russian to English knitting symbols, which does not have same symbols.
Wish knitters worldwide would agree on one set of knitting symbols!
Is it a stitch dictionary that you’re looking for them for? I collect German stitch dictionaries and have some symbol translation sheets for them.
Hi Sarah,
Brilliant work – this has really helped me translate a knitting pattern – much appreciated. If I manage to work any other abbreviations out i will let you know. many thanks Sue
I’ve just down loaded a German pattern. The German abbreviations are a real puzzle all I can find is the translations long form not the abbreviated form. Can you save me from frustration?
Hi Linnie. I used DeepL and then did test knit. German has a different grammatical structure so some problems with things like slip the next stitch before knitting tbl when it was around the other way. Good luck Sue
Does the blank squares in German patterns mean knit on right side and purl on wrong side? I too wish there was a place that showed what German knitting symbols meant.