rnd(s) — Round (Abbreviation)

rnd(s) stands for "round" or "rounds" — the circular-construction equivalent of a row, used any time a piece is being worked continuously around rather than back and forth flat. "Rnd 5: *k4, k2tog; rep from * to end" tells you both the round number and what to do within it.

Why rounds and rows aren't interchangeable terms

A row implies flat, back-and-forth construction with a turn at each end; a round implies continuous circular construction with no turn. Some patterns switch between the two terms deliberately within a single project — a hat worked flat for a colorwork panel, then joined and continued in rounds for the crown, for instance — and the terminology shift itself is a signal about how the construction is changing, not just a stylistic word choice.

Round numbering across sections

Unlike a garment's row count, which often continues incrementing from the very cast-on to the very end, round numbering frequently resets to 1 at the start of each major section — a hat's brim might count up through rnd 12, then the crown shaping restarts at rnd 1 again. This is worth watching for in a pattern's structure, since assuming round numbers are continuous across the whole piece when they're actually section-relative is a real, avoidable source of confusion.

Where it shows up

Any circularly constructed piece — hats, socks, seamless yokes, amigurumi — uses rnd(s) throughout its written instructions in place of "row."

Related abbreviations

• st(s) — stitches, the count most round instructions track alongside the round number itself

FAQ

Is a round always the same as one full trip around a piece's circumference? Yes, by definition — one round always means one complete pass around, back to the starting point, regardless of how many stitches that pass covers.

Does crochet use rnd(s) the same way knitting does? Yes — crochet's round-based construction (see working in the round) uses rnd(s) identically to knitting's usage, referring to one complete circular pass in either craft.