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How to read knitting diagrams

A knitting diagram consists of squares. 1 square = 1 stitch - the symbol definition provide information on how the stitch is worked. The diagram shows all stitches seen from the right side (unless otherwise specified).

A diagram looks like this:

  1. A.1 is the name of the diagram, and refer to the entire diagram.
  2. A.2 is only the part of the diagram within the square brackets.
  3. This number refers to the number of stitches on the 1st row of the diagram.
  4. This is the symbol definition: it explains how each stitch is worked, or in what color (in multicolored patterns).

You read a knitting diagram completely opposite to how you would normally read: from right to left, from bottom to top. In other words: you start with the symbol in the bottom right corner, and work your way leftwards and upwards (see RED in diagram below). If you are supposed to start at a different point/with a different stitch, will this be specified - for example: the different sizes can start at different places in the same diagram (see BLUE box below).

If you are supposed to work several repeats of a diagram (ie: work the same diagram several times in width) you’ll work until the end of the diagram row, and start again with the first stitch for the next repeat.

Back and forth:

When working back and forth, every other row will be worked from the right side and every other row will be worked from the wrong side. Since the diagram shows all stitches seen from the right side, you’ll have to work it in opposite way when working from the wrong side (see BLUE arrows in diagram below): you read the row from left to right, knit stitches are purled, and purl stitches are knit etc (this will often be specified in symbol definition: “knit from right side, purl from wrong side”).

In the round:

When working in the round all rounds are worked from the right side, and the diagram is read solely from right to left. When starting a new round, simply start working the first symbol on the next row in diagram.

Several different diagrams worked consecutively on the row/round:

If you’re working several different diagrams after each other on the same row/round, work as follows: Work 1st row in diagram 1, continue with 1st row in diagram 2, then 1st row in diagram 3 etc. REMEMBER: if you’re working back and forth, the diagram will have to be worked in the opposite order from the wrong side - ie: start with diagram 3, then diagram 2 and lastly diagram 1. They are also worked in opposite way as usual.

In the pattern this can be written as follows: “work A.1, A.2, A.3 a total of 1-1-2-3-4 times”. This means that you first work A.1, then A.2 and finally you repeat A.3 a total of 1-1-2-3-4 times (depending on your size). It is ONLY A.3 that is repeated, A.1 and A.2 are worked 1 time each.

When stitch count doesn’t match whole repeats of diagram:

Sometimes the stitch count is not divisible with full/whole repeats of the diagram in width. For example: A.1 covers 12 stitches and is to be repeated over 40 stitches. In this case you will work 3 full repeats of A.1 (=36 stitches), and then work the first 4 stitches in the diagram over the remaining stitches (see RED line below). This is usually the case where the diagram is a repetitive pattern, so that regardless of working full repeats, the pattern will still be consistent.

Comments (671)

Vivi wrote:

105 puntos o 172??? Para hacer la manta

01.04.2025 - 20:38

Elisabeth DAMIAN wrote:

Je suis en train de réaliser le modèle DROPS 222-32 (Swing by spring top) mais malheureusement il n'y a pas de légende pour les diagrammes et je ne connais pas les symboles (jamais vus auparavant)... Où puis-je trouver les explications de ces diagrammes ? MerciMerci.

24.03.2025 - 18:17

DROPS Design answered:

Bonjour Mme Damian, vous retrouverez la légende des symboles juste au-dessus des diagrammes (entre la fin des explications et les diagrammes). Vous trouverez également sous l'onglet "Vidéos" de ce même modèle 2 vidéos montrant comment tricoter A.2 (en 2 parties). Bon tricot!

25.03.2025 - 10:30

Pauline Leblanc wrote:

Bonjour, je fais le 195-1 et le diagramme du devant et dos A2 a 2 rangs de plus soit 20 et le A1et leA3 ont 18 rangs, comment dois-je tricoter leA1 et le A3 pour arriver. Merci

08.03.2025 - 18:37

DROPS Design answered:

Bonjour Mme Leblanc, les diagrammes doivent se répéter comme ils sont indiqués, autrement dit, indépendamment les uns des autres. Lorsque A.1 est terminé, reprenez-le au début et continuez A.2 comme avant. Lorsque A.2 est terminé, reprenez-le au début et continuez A.1 comme avant. Bon tricot!

10.03.2025 - 10:29

Kerstin wrote:

Das heißt, die zweite Zeile im Diagramm ist die Rückreihe und nicht die zweite Hinreihe?

03.03.2025 - 18:44

DROPS Design answered:

Liebe Kerstin, ja genau, meistens wird es so gemeint, wenn nur die Hinreihen gezeichnet wird, wird es in der Anleitung erklärt. Viel Spaß beim Stricken!

04.03.2025 - 09:37

Bodil Tenggren wrote:

Jag stickar modell children 5-3 tröjan Fabian. Ska börja sticka mönster M4 på framstycket. På varv 5 börjar fyrkantmönster. Pilen vid storlek 4 säger att jag ska börja 3 maskor in på mönstret så här: 1rät 1 avig 3+4 räta . Då börjar varvet med 1 rät och slutar med 7 räta. Är detta rätt?

01.03.2025 - 15:30

DROPS Design answered:

Hei Bodil. Når du starter å strikke M.4, strikker du 1 rett + 1 vrang + 3 rett, deretter strikker du hele M.4 9 ganger = du har nå strikket over 77 masker og har 6 masker igjen av pinnen. Da strikker du de 6 første maskene av M.4 (= 4 rett + 1 vrang +1 rett). Da vil sidene bli like. mvh DROPS Design

03.03.2025 - 07:32

Alya wrote:

I'm working in Nordic Flower (Back Piece). Which row of diagram in A.1 should I remain 2 stitches? And what color is the 2 remain stitches? Also, when I work A.2 (XXL), I have to work at direction from the arrow, but why it seems different than on the picture? Could you explain why is this happen? Thanks

24.02.2025 - 18:47

DROPS Design answered:

Dear Alya, when you work both shoulders together on back piece, you end from the right side with the first stitch A.1 (so that pattern is symmetrical), then work the last stitch =edge stitch as before. When starting A.2 the beginning of A.2 is different in each size to keep the pattern being nice in all sizes, so just strt with the arrow for your size, finish diagram, then repeat A.2 in width. Happy knitting!

25.02.2025 - 11:30

Lucy wrote:

I don't understand the guidance : “work A.1, A.2, A.3 a total of 1-1-2-3-4 times”. What the 1-1-2-3-4 meant? Would this result working: A1, A2, A3, and depending on the size let's say in XL in total 4 times?

22.02.2025 - 12:43

DROPS Design answered:

Dear Lucy, the number of times is applied to the terms in the same section of the sentence, between asterisks, commas or parenthesis. In the example indicated, if it is written exactly like that, the number of times only affects A.3. So you work A.1 once, A.2 once and then work A.3 once/ twice/ 3/ 4 times depending on the size (so 1 time for the 2 smallest sizes, twice for the third size, 3 times for the 4th size and 4 times for the largest size). Happy knitting!

23.02.2025 - 19:40

Salut wrote:

Pour la patron 129-18 la jeté est tu croisser ou régulaire

16.02.2025 - 19:25

DROPS Design answered:

Bonjour, les jetés du diagramme M.1 des chaussettes 129-18 se tricotent à l'endroit au tour suivant pour qu'ils forment des trous (point ajouré). Bon tricot!

17.02.2025 - 10:29

Una Kilgarriff wrote:

I am about to begin pattern Drops 199-3 called Blue Nostalgia in Size Small. I do not understand the instructions regarding the charts A3, A4 and A5 and the size arrows to the right of chart A3. Can you explain the arrows and sizes as shown. In the pattern. Do different charts refer to different sizes? Thank you. Una

07.02.2025 - 19:14

DROPS Design answered:

Dear Una, after the increases for raglan are done, you will not divide the piece yet, but still have to work lace pattern over sleeve, as explained: starting with the arrow for your size and reading up then start again from first row to repeat lace pattern in height as before. Happy knitting!

10.02.2025 - 12:54

Lone Sørensen wrote:

Jeg er ved at strikke blusen Model ai-031-bn i str. 3/4 år. Jeg er nået til diagrammet A1 hvor der står 12 rapporter a 6 masker. Jeg forstår ikke hvad det betyder. Håber I kan hjælpe Med venlig hilsen Lone

06.02.2025 - 20:19

DROPS Design answered:

Hei Lone. Jo, i str. 3/4 år har du 72 masker når du skal begynne å strikke etter diagram A.1. Diagram A.1 består av 6 masker (i begynnelsen). Så over de 72 maske du har skal du strikke A.1 12 ganger (12 ganger = 12 rapporter). A.1 = 6 masker x 12 ganger = 72 masker. Når du har strikket A.1 1 gang i høyden består A. 1 av 16 masker og det strikkes fremdeles 12 ganger/12 rapporter. Du skal da ha 16 masker x 12 rapporter = 192 masker på pinnen. mvh DROPS Design

10.02.2025 - 09:37

Ulrika wrote:

Sorry, jag som missat sista sidan

03.02.2025 - 14:14

Ulrika wrote:

Hej, frågan gäller modell z 869

03.02.2025 - 11:41

DROPS Design answered:

Hei Ulrika. Hvilket spørsmål? mvh DROPS Design

10.02.2025 - 09:40

Ulrika wrote:

Jag stickar 207 nordisk tröja. Det står att jag vid oket ska öka vid pil 1,2,3,4 i A1. Betyder det att jag ska öka vid varje 21:a varv?

01.02.2025 - 16:46

DROPS Design answered:

Hei Ulrika. Får dessverre ikke gitt deg et skikkelig svar da du ikke har oppgitt hvilken nordisk tröja du strikker (har ingen som bare har nr. 207). Husk å oppgi DROPS nr eller DROPS navn, så hjelper vi deg så godt vi kan. mvh DROPS Design

03.02.2025 - 07:49

Jana Zorníková wrote:

Hezký den, Děkuji za vysvětlující článek, jen bych se chtěla zeptat, co přesně znamená "sekvenci opakujeme celkem 1-1-2-3-4x" v odstavci o sekvencích pletených za sebou. Můžete mi to prosím jednoduše vysvětlit, toto jsem nepochopila... Děkuji Jana Zorníková

27.01.2025 - 07:41

Ingeborg wrote:

Strikker fabled harbour sweater å er nå kommet til armet. Hva menes det når det står «strikk *A1, strikk A2»?.

20.01.2025 - 21:41

DROPS Design answered:

Hei Ingebord. Det som står mellom 2 stjerner (stjerne = *) skal gjentas. Så her skal du strikke diagram * A.1 og A.2 * over alle maskene. I f.eks str. S legger du opp 60 masker, så strikker du A.1 + A.2 + A.1 + A.2 + A.1 + A.2 + A.1 + A.2 + A.1 + A.2 = 60 masker. mvh DROPS Design

27.01.2025 - 07:19

Inger Karin Høie wrote:

Drops 212-11. Erme « nå strikkes det så mange rapporter med hullmønster i A.3 som vist i A.2 til A.4 som det er plass til i omgangen» hva menes her? Skal jeg starte med A.2 så A3 og A4? Da stemmer det ikke med at jeg skal avpasse stjerne i A1.

16.01.2025 - 03:54

DROPS Design answered:

Hei Inger. Du starter med A.2 (få stjernen til å passe over stjernen i A.1), gjenta A.3 og avslutt med A.4. Når du øker, strikkes de nye maskene i glattstrik. mvh DROPS Design

20.01.2025 - 07:04

Sabine Ritzkowski wrote:

Ich komme mit den Zunahmen nicht zurecht. Das Muster stimmt dann nicht. Muss ich bei jedem Rapport due eingezeichnet Zunahme stricken?

13.01.2025 - 14:51

DROPS Design answered:

Liebe Frau Ritzkowski, könnten Sie Ihre Frage beim Modell stellen? So können wir die Anleitung mal schauen um Ihnen zu helfen. Danke für Ihr Verständnis.

14.01.2025 - 11:01

Vera wrote:

Babydeken drops 29-8. Kunnen jullie me helpen met het telpatroon aub. Ik begrijp er niks van hoe ik dit moet breien ? Kan dit niet gewoon omschreven worden ? Al aan verschillende vriendinnen gevraagd maar die kunnen dit patroon ook niet lezen. Grtjs, Vera

09.01.2025 - 17:34

Isabella wrote:

Bonjour je fais l’echarpe modèle n z-685 je ne comprends pas du tout comment quand je tricote la grille A6 je dois faire le rang 29 sur est en décalage merci pour votre explication par avance

04.01.2025 - 00:36

DROPS Design answered:

Bonjour Isabella, au dernier rang sur l'endroit de A.6, commencez 1 maille avant le diagramme, autrement dit, tricotez 2 mailles point mousse au lieu de 3 puis tricotez le diagramme comme indiqué, la dernière maille du 1er A.6 se tricote avec la 1ère maille du A.6 suivant et ainsi de suite. Bon tricot!

06.01.2025 - 11:26

Liesbeth wrote:

Sorry, sorry. wat betreft mijn vraag over het telpatroon A3 bij Running Circles Cardigan. Ik zie nu pas de telpatronen op de volgende pagina staan. Ik ga proberen er chocola van te maken! Voorlopig ben ik geholpen! Gelukkig Nieuwjaar.

02.01.2025 - 20:49

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