11/8/12 Fleegle's Blog: Japanese Knitting Sy mbol Primer

1/15f leeglesblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/japanese-knitting-sy mbol-primer.html

FLEEGLE'S BLOG

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Japanese Knitting Symbol Primer

Note: all left/rights are now correct.

I have had lots of mail about Japanese knitting symbols, and

believe me, I wish there were a magic translation wand to wave

over those-Oh-So-Beautiful-But-Incomprehensible pages in the

Japanese knitting magazines. I am going to show you the most

common symbols and instructions, but you, dear reader, are going

to have to do a bit of study, too.

Unfortunately, Blogger creates blurry thumbnails of all my pretty

pictures. I have to cut, paste, and annotate each one, which

takes a lot of time (especially considering how feeble my

Japanese is).

You can download a nice PDF copy of all these pictures here. You

will have to join the Mountain Ash Yahoo group to download it.

For now, let's begin with the basics: Stitch, Knit, and Purl. As you

can see from the image below, a Knit stitch is called a Front

stitch in Japanese. And it should come as no surprise that a Purl

stitch is called a Back stitch. Knit stitches are indicated in two

ways: a vertical line in a box and an empty box.

11/8/12 Fleegle's Blog: Japanese Knitting Sy mbol Primer

2/15f leeglesblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/japanese-knitting-sy mbol-primer.html

The Purl stitch is a horizontal line, and this line carries over to

other symbols as we shall see in a second. In general, if you see a

horizontal line under a symbol, it means "Do Something Purlwise."

Let's proceed to decreases. Notice that the Purl 2 together--left

slant symbol has a line under it.

And, of course, the right-slanting single decreases look similar.

Here are the triple decrease symbols--and they should be no

surprise at this point. One more kanji for you here: Center or

11/8/12 Fleegle's Blog: Japanese Knitting Sy mbol Primer

3/15f leeglesblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/japanese-knitting-sy mbol-primer.html

Middle. It's actually quite logical-looking and you will see it on

patterns to indicate a central pivot stitch, as well.

And some miscellaneous stitch symbols:

11/8/12 Fleegle's Blog: Japanese Knitting Sy mbol Primer

4/15f leeglesblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/japanese-knitting-sy mbol-primer.html

Here is a small, annotated lace pattern. It's a composite, so don't

bother knitting it. I am just showing you the kanji translation.

11/8/12 Fleegle's Blog: Japanese Knitting Sy mbol Primer

6/15f leeglesblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/japanese-knitting-sy mbol-primer.html

And finally, because my brain has now turned into a salted

pretzel, I present a loose translation of the verbiage stuff that

you will see at the beginning of a pattern.

11/8/12 Fleegle's Blog: Japanese Knitting Sy mbol Primer

7/15f leeglesblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/japanese-knitting-sy mbol-primer.html

Bear in mind that there are zillions more symbols--twist stitches,

cables, fancy binding stitches. But this post covers all the

stitches you will need to do Mondnacht, Mountain Ash, and most

other Japanese lace patterns.

Do let me know if this information is clear and useful. If there are

other symbols you want explained, let me know that also. Thanks!

Posted by fleegle at 9:52 AM

Labels: japanese symbols, Knitting

27 comments:

2trees said...

Do you have any clever ways of making a p3tog with no slant?

January 30, 2007 1:35:00 PM EST

Operakatz said...

11/8/12 Fleegle's Blog: Japanese Knitting Sy mbol Primer

8/15f leeglesblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/japanese-knitting-sy mbol-primer.html

Whee! Excellent work, Fleegle...thanks so much!

January 30, 2007 2:28:00 PM EST

fleegle said...

2Trees, let me think about it.

January 30, 2007 2:43:00 PM EST

alice said...

This is so fabulous!!! Thank you for taking the time to do this--

I'm so excited to go dig out that Mondnacht pattern now... :)

January 30, 2007 4:53:00 PM EST

Jane said...

Dear Fleegle,

Thank you for the wonderful information. I'm very tempted to

get that book now for those patterns. I'll have to think hard

about it while I go bang my head into a wall for awhile :-)

January 31, 2007 12:15:00 AM EST

Batty said...

Thank you so much, I've been ogling Japanese knitting books

for a while. Now I need to stick my head in a bucket of ice

water, though. I'm sure that'll make it stop smoking!

January 31, 2007 8:54:00 AM EST

Anonymous said...

hey there

just so you know, the kanji you have listed for right and left

are reversed- the kanji with the "box" shape beside the

"slanted t" shape is RIGHT or 'migi" and the "capital I" shape

beside the slanted "t" is left, or hidari.

thanks for all the info.

February 14, 2007 11:06:00 PM EST

fleegle said...

You are correct, the left and rights are reversed. However,

that's exactly what's in the Japanese book. I think it's less

confusing to leave it this way, unless you can think of another

way of presenting the translation.

February 15, 2007 6:06:00 AM EST

Fleegle's Blog: Japanese Knitting Sy mbol Primer

9/15f leeglesblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/japanese-knitting-sy mbol-primer.html

Kate said...

A great big light-bulb has just come on. I've been studying

your excellent primer and felt I was making some progress.

However, I was very confused by the slanted decreases. For

example, K2tog(right slant) shows the kanji for "right" and "on

top" - but if you put the right stitch on top you actually get a

left slanting decrease. When I saw the comment about the

kanji being reversed all became clear.

I'm just about to start the shawl in "Elegance Knits", progress,

if any, will be on my blog.

March 20, 2007 5:37:00 AM EST

bunchkin said...

In the sweater I am making from Elagance Knit, a blank box can

also mean a purl stitch when it's behind a cable.

March 20, 2007 2:00:00 PM EST

Batty said...

I just bookmarked this. Thank you so much, this is amazingly

helpful

March 21, 2007 8:08:00 AM EST

Anonymous said...

I would have liked to download the Primer, but after spending

a considerable amount of time trying (unsuccessfully)to sign

up to the Mountain Ash group......... I finally gave up -- is

there another way to get it.

May 18, 2007 9:25:00 AM EST

fleegle said...

Dear Anaonymous--

If you will email me with a real email address, I will send you

the pdf file.

May 18, 2007 2:49:00 PM EST

Anonymous said...

My name is Fran Tanner, email is Stockus@aol.com -- Thank

you for sharing.

May 18, 2007 9:21:00 PM EST

Barbara said...

11/8/12 Fleegle's Blog: Japanese Knitting Sy mbol Primer

10/15f leeglesblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/japanese-knitting-sy mbol-primer.html

Thank you for all your wonderful posts. I've been enjoying

reading your entries, looking at your pictures and drinking in

all the information you're sharing. I've looked at the Japanese

knitting books, but were always intimidated by them. (I can

actually get them locally.) Maybe I'll give them a try now.

Thanks again.

September 23, 2007 3:54:00 PM EST

delorestan@hotmail.com said...

Thank you so much for the info!! Very useful! But I have a

question I wonder if know the answer of: I have a horizontal

line ABOVE the symbol rathern than below. Is that still

"purlwise" ???? Hope you can help me!!!!

November 14, 2007 4:54:00 AM EST

Rhonda said...

THank you Fleegle! I've posted a link to your blog at Tawashi

Town on Ravelry - I hope this is ok.....your instructions are

excellent and I think your pictures are great! ;o)

Thanks so much!

~Rhonda

February 18, 2008 11:22:00 PM EST

Anonymous said...

Thanks a lot for sharing... before i had no clue what these

symboles meant, but know i can understand my japanese

patterns.

October 22, 2008 4:30:00 AM EST

Woolcrafter said...

Wonderful explanations - thank you!

Do you happen to know where I might acquire a set of these

standardized Japanese knit symbols and crochet symbols for

designing purposes?

I'd be most grateful if you could point me in the right

direction.

Thanks so much.

January 8, 2009 12:18:00 PM EST

Livvy said...

Hello,

11/8/12 Fleegle's Blog: Japanese Knitting Sy mbol Primer

11/15f leeglesblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/japanese-knitting-sy mbol-primer.html

I am wondering if you what a darkened box, one stitch worth

taking two rows, means? I thought it meant "nothing" here,

but I haven't figured how to do that in pattern number 72 of

Book 250. Thanks in advance :)

April 28, 2009 9:35:00 PM EST

paula said...

hello

what a wonderful information! did you know that this is very

useful and unique? thank you so much im a beginner but ill

send you my scarf when i finish it. hope to keep on reading!

May 19, 2009 8:32:00 PM EST

joannamauselina said...

This is fabulous. Thanks so much. I am starting my second

Japanese thing, but it is much harder than the first thing was.

This will be a great help.

August 20, 2009 2:29:00 AM EST

Aeshna said...

Hello there:) It is very helpfull, what you described here, since

I love Japanese patterns but no speaking these

language:)Could you, however, refer to symbols from the page

49 of these book: http://books.google.pl/books?

id=_8zw_pAglIIC&pg=PA40&lpg=PA40&dq=knit+slants&source=b

l&ots=4CnVUi5e0M&sig=oxjt1Ohl5NV4PCJYHCClwNHT9ts&hl=pl&

ei=0qi8Su7HBtPJ_gbs552pDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&

resnum=3#v=onepage&q=knit%20slants&f=false

?

I especially mean knitting and purling slants. I know it is no

Japanese book, but I am a bit confused:) Thanks in advance!

September 25, 2009 7:24:00 AM EST

a said...

Hello,

I´m Portuguese and interested in the "PDF copy of all these

pictures" , but as some body said, also "I would have liked to

download the Primer, but after spending a considerable

amount of time trying (unsuccessfully) to sign up to the

Mountain Ash group........." they did not accept me.

Can you send me the PDF file "Japanese Knitting Symbols

11/8/12 Fleegle's Blog: Japanese Knitting Sy mbol Primer

12/15f leeglesblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/japanese-knitting-sy mbol-primer.html

Newer Post Older Post

Primer",please.

My name is oelc and e-mail is:

acsf62@gmail.com

Thank you very much (and sorry if there is english mistakes)

Grettings,

oelc

March 14, 2010 8:31:00 AM EST

craftbygrace said...

thanks for posting this! Can you please explain to me what 4 -

1 - 1 means? is the back side counts as 1 row? means I have to

decrease on the back side first, or is it the fourth front rows?

I'm just so... confused >.<

pls help me..

thank you very much

October 4, 2011 6:00:00 AM EST

Sharon V said...

Thank you! Thank you! I was about to do a lot of knitting and

guess work which would have resulted in a lot of ripping back.

I can't thank you enough.

July 10, 2012 7:43:00 PM EST

gwriter said...

thank you so much, if only I found your site earlier then I

would not put down my knitting for so long. Now I will gladly

rip it to fix what I have done wrong. LOL

September 17, 2012 10:31:00 AM EST

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