Knitting Slang
A quick guide to our most used knitting terms and acronyms
This is not a complete or definitive list, but it will get you where you need to go. A few of these I learned while collecting them! Is it even a club if there’s no fun lingo??
Work In Progress (acronym), a project you are working on or a personal identity marker (me), see pic below. Many crafters use “whip” to refer to any partially done craft project. Creators also like to share all of their WIPs on Wednesdays in videos known as ‘WIP Wednesday’
Honorable mention: Languishing WIP - a project that is so old that it is starting to impact one’s psyche, will it ever get finished?? Could also be long forgotten and stashed in a project bag within a project bag within a closet
(verb: to frog) Official term for undoing your knitting, often in a flamboyant manor. Also known as a sad state of affairs. May or may not come from “rip it rip it” sounding like “ribbit ribbit” :P
Honorable mention: Tink aka knit backwards/undo
Finished Object (acronym), anything that you have recently finished and want to show off, most heard on FO Fridays. The next level up from a WIP.
Honorable mention: UFO - Unfinished Object “there’s UFOs everywhere!!”
Cast On (acronym/verb & noun), to start a new project or another name for a WIP one just started; example, “check out my new cast on”
Bind Off, finish that thing it stinks! ;)
(noun) Your yarn hoard! We know you’ve all got one. It’s the leftovers, the scraps, the beautiful single skeins and hanks from traveling, and even the planned sweater quantities waiting for their moment in the sun. Example, “I’m using all stash yarn for this project”
Honorable mention: Destash - getting rid of your prized stash yarn in an organized way like selling or gifting
Local Yarn Store (acronym), everyone’s favorite place <3
Knit-Along or Make-Along (acronym), when a group gets together in-person or online to craft the same object or to craft similar objects under a theme. Examples include everyone making the same knit design within a specific time period, all using the same yarn, or all using stash yarn.
(noun) That feeling when you’re not sure if you’ll have enough yarn but you take a gamble on that last sleeve (or any part of the project). Sometimes you win, more often you lose.
(noun or verb) Usually an organized event that involves many stores in one area or state. A day or weekend where they entice you to go to all the shops! Typically passports or cute tote bags are involved and each store will be doing something fun. Basic definition, going to 2+ yarn stores in one day or weekend ;)
Bonus acronym: Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy
I love this! Now I have something to send to all the non-knitters in my life to explain the terms!