rep — Repeat (Abbreviation)
rep stands for "repeat" — an instruction to work a given sequence again, either within a single row (repeating a short stitch group across the row's width) or across multiple rows (repeating an entire set of rows to build a pattern's vertical repeat).
Asterisks mark where a repeat starts
Most patterns use an asterisk (*) to mark the exact starting point of a repeated section: "*k2, p2; rep from * to end" means work k2, p2 once, then keep repeating that same two-stitch group from the asterisk onward until the row ends. The asterisk isn't decorative — it's the specific anchor point "rep from *" refers back to, and losing track of where it was placed is a common source of a miscounted row.
Row-repeats versus stitch-repeats
A stitch-level repeat ("*k2, p2; rep from *") repeats within a single row's width. A row-level repeat ("rep rows 1-4 six times") instead repeats an entire block of rows as a unit, building a stitch pattern's full vertical repeat — a cable crossing every eighth row, for instance, needs several plain rows repeated between crossings, and "rep" at this level tracks that larger repeating block rather than a small stitch group.
Where it shows up
Nearly everywhere a pattern's stitch count or row count is long enough that writing every single instance out in full would be impractical — rep is one of the most universally used abbreviations across both knit and crochet patterns.
Related abbreviations
- st(s) — stitches, often the unit a rep instruction counts
- rnd(s) — rounds, sometimes the unit a rep instruction applies to instead of rows
FAQ
*Does "rep from " always mean repeat to the very end of the row? Not always — some patterns specify "rep from * three more times" or a similar bounded count, rather than "to end," so always check exactly how many repetitions or how far the instruction actually wants before assuming it continues indefinitely.
Can a pattern have more than one asterisk marking different repeat points in the same row? Yes, and when it does, patterns typically use different symbols (a single asterisk versus a double asterisk, or brackets) to distinguish between two separate repeated sections within the same row — check the pattern's own key if more than one repeat marker type appears.