Crochet guide
Crochet abbreviations: US and UK terms with a full list
Updated by Khokhar Sab
Crochet abbreviations are short forms for stitches and steps in a pattern. The basic US ones are ch (chain), sl st (slip stitch), sc (single crochet), hdc (half double crochet), dc (double crochet) and tr (treble crochet). UK patterns use the same letters for different stitches: a UK dc is a US sc, and a UK tr is a US dc. Check which terms a pattern uses before you start.
Patterns shorten almost every instruction, so "work a single crochet into the next stitch" becomes "sc in next st". The Craft Yarn Council, the US yarn industry group, publishes a standard list that US patterns follow. The tables below use its definitions, then set US and UK names side by side.
Basic crochet stitch abbreviations
Four stitches do most of the work in a pattern. This table comes straight from the stitch data inside the foundation chain calculator. Height is the turning chain the calculator uses for each stitch, shown as a multiple of a single crochet. Wikipedia lists the same turning chains, from 1 for single crochet up to 4 for treble.
| US stitch | US abbr. | UK name (abbr.) | Turning chain | Height vs sc | Turning chain counts as a stitch? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single crochet | sc | Double crochet (dc) | 1 ch | 1× | Usually no |
| Half double crochet | hdc | Half treble (htr) | 2 ch | 2× | Usually no |
| Double crochet | dc | Treble (tr) | 3 ch | 3× | Usually yes |
| Treble crochet | tr | Double treble (dtr) | 4 ch | 4× | Usually yes |
Two more stitches sit at either end. A chain (ch) is the loop you start with and the base of every foundation row. A slip stitch (sl st) adds almost no height and joins rounds or moves the yarn along. Taller than treble come the double treble (dtr) and triple treble (trtr). The turning chains guide explains why the sc and hdc chains usually don't count as a stitch while the dc and tr ones do.
Crochet abbreviations list
These definitions follow the Craft Yarn Council master list. Patterns can add their own, so a "special stitches" note at the top of a pattern wins over any list.
Increases, decreases and counts
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| inc | Increase, often 2 stitches in the same stitch |
| dec | Decrease |
| sc2tog | Single crochet 2 stitches together (a decrease) |
| hdc2tog, dc2tog, tr2tog | The same decrease worked in hdc, dc or tr |
| tog | Together |
| st, sts | Stitch, stitches |
| rem | Remaining |
| rep | Repeat |
| rnd, rnds | Round, rounds |
A number before "tog" says how many stitches you join. Wikipedia describes a decrease as one stitch worked across two or more stitches, so sc3tog takes 3 stitches down to 1. To spread increases across a row, the increase and decrease calculator works out the spacing for crochet as well as knitting.
Where to put the hook
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| FLO (FL) | Front loop only |
| BLO (BL) | Back loop only |
| tbl | Through back loop |
| FP, BP | Front post, back post |
| FPdc, BPdc | Front post double crochet, back post double crochet |
| FPsc, FPhdc, FPtr | Front post versions of the other stitches (BP works the same way) |
| sk | Skip |
| sp | Space |
| ch-sp | Chain space |
| ch- | A chain or space made earlier, as in "ch-1 space" |
| lp, lps | Loop, loops |
| yo (yoh) | Yarn over (yarn over hook) |
The top of each stitch looks like a sideways V. Normally the hook goes under both strands. FLO and BLO mean you take only the strand nearer to you or the one farther away, which leaves a ridge. A post stitch goes around the upright body of the stitch below instead of into its top. Wikipedia notes that post stitches are often used for ribbing.
Special stitches
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| CL | Cluster |
| sh | Shell |
| pc | Popcorn stitch |
| ps or puff | Puff stitch |
| esc, ehdc, edc, etr | Extended single, half double, double and treble crochet |
| dtr | Double treble crochet |
| trtr | Triple treble crochet |
Clusters, shells, puffs and popcorns vary from designer to designer. Look for the pattern's own note on how many stitches each one uses.
Pattern and project terms
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| beg | Begin, beginning |
| bet | Between |
| alt | Alternate |
| cont | Continue |
| foll | Follow, following |
| prev | Previous |
| pat or patt | Pattern |
| tch or t-ch | Turning chain |
| RS, WS | Right side, wrong side |
| MC, CC | Main color, contrasting color |
| pm, sm | Place marker, slip marker |
| approx | Approximately |
US vs UK crochet terms
US and UK patterns use the same stitches under different names. Each UK name sits one step up from the US name, so the same letters point to different stitches. Wikipedia says US terms are used in the US and Canada, and UK terms across Europe, India and Australia, among others.
| US term | UK term | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Chain (ch) | Chain (ch) | Same in both |
| Slip stitch (sl st) | Slip stitch (sl st or ss) | KnitPro gives the UK abbreviation as ss |
| Single crochet (sc) | Double crochet (dc) | UK dc is the shortest basic stitch |
| Half double crochet (hdc) | Half treble (htr) | htr only appears in UK patterns |
| Double crochet (dc) | Treble (tr) | Same letters as UK dc, a different stitch |
| Treble crochet (tr) | Double treble (dtr) | Some US patterns call it triple crochet |
| Double treble (dtr) | Triple treble (trtr) | Same letters as UK dtr, a different stitch |
| Front post dc (FPdc) | Raised treble front (rtrf) | Back post is raised treble back (rtrb) |
| sc2tog | dc2tog | Both are the shortest decrease |
| Skip | Miss | Same action |
| Gauge | Tension | Same measurement |
| Yarn over (yo) | Yarn over hook (yoh) | Stitches n Scraps treats yarn over as the same in both |
Hook sizes differ too. In old UK numbering a bigger number means a thinner hook, while modern UK patterns use millimeters. The crochet hook size chart lines up millimeter, US and UK sizes.
How to tell whether a pattern uses US or UK terms
- Read the notes first. Patterns often state "US terms" or "UK terms" near the abbreviations.
- Look for sc. KnitPro points out that single crochet exists only in US terms.
- Look for htr or miss. Stitches n Scraps treats these as signs of UK terms, and hdc or skip as signs of US terms.
- Check gauge or tension. A US pattern asks for gauge and a UK pattern for tension.
- Make a swatch. If the fabric looks far taller or shorter than the photo, you may be reading the wrong terms. The guide to measuring gauge shows how to check it.
What happens if you mix up US and UK terms
The stitch heights from the calculator show how far off a mix-up goes. Here is a UK pattern read as if it were in US terms. The chains are for the calculator's default row: 40 inches at 14 stitches per 4 inches, with each stitch's usual turning chain rule.
| Pattern says (UK) | Stitch meant | Stitch made if read as US | Each row comes out | Foundation chains (meant vs made) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| dc | US sc (1 ch tall) | US dc (3 ch tall) | 3 times as tall | 141 vs 142 |
| tr | US dc (3 ch tall) | US tr (4 ch tall) | 1.33 times as tall | 142 vs 143 |
The foundation chain differs by only 1, so the mistake hides at the start. It shows once rows stack up: a UK dc pattern worked in US dc grows about 3 times as fast in height. LoveCrafts warns that a UK pattern made in US terms can come out twice the size.
Crochet pattern symbols
Punctuation in a pattern groups steps you repeat or work in one place. The Craft Yarn Council defines these:
- * Repeat the steps after the asterisk as the pattern says, often "rep from * to end".
- * * Repeat the steps between the two asterisks.
- [ ] and { } Work the steps inside as many times as stated, as in "[sc, ch 1] 3 times".
- ( ) Work the steps inside as many times as stated, or work a group of stitches all in the same stitch or space, as in "(dc, ch 2, dc) in next st".
Numbers in parentheses at the end of a row are often the stitch count for that row. How rows, rounds, repeats and counts fit together is covered in how to read a crochet pattern. A row counter helps you keep track of repeats as you go.
Common questions
Is tr treble or triple crochet?
The same stitch. The Craft Yarn Council lists tr as treble crochet, and LoveCrafts notes some US patterns call it triple crochet (tc). In UK terms, tr is a different, shorter stitch: the US double crochet.
What does ch-sp mean?
A chain space, the gap under one or more chains from an earlier row. "Ch-2 sp" means the space under a 2-chain. You work the next stitches into the gap, not into the chains themselves.
What is the difference between inc and dec?
An increase adds a stitch, usually by working 2 stitches into one. A decrease removes one, usually by joining 2 stitches into one with sc2tog or a similar "tog" stitch.
What does sk mean in crochet?
Skip. Leave the next stitch unworked and go into the one after it. UK patterns say miss instead.
Does Canada use US or UK crochet terms?
US terms, according to Wikipedia and KnitPro. Australian patterns use UK terms, per Wikipedia and the LoveCrafts table.
Why does my pattern chain more than the stitch count?
The extra chains become the turning chain for the first row. The calculator adds 1 chain for sc and 2 for dc when the turning chain counts as a stitch. The foundation chain calculator does this sum for any width.
Sources and further reading
The Craft Yarn Council publishes the standard crochet abbreviations master list, with symbols and Tunisian terms. Wikipedia's list of crochet stitches covers stitch heights, decreases and where each set of terms is used. Stitches n Scraps compares US and UK crochet terms, including post stitches. KnitPro's UK vs US conversion chart lists ways to spot each system. LoveCrafts sets UK, US and Australian names side by side in Crochet terms: UK vs US.
Video tutorial
"Crochet Abbreviations Quick Guide - US and UK terms" by Bella Coco, on YouTube. The video loads only when you press play.