Crochet patterns are written in shorthand. Once you can read it, any pattern in the world opens up; until you can, even a simple one looks like a cipher. This page is the full list — every abbreviation you will meet in a written pattern, what it means, and how to read the punctuation that holds it all together.
Two things to know before the tables. American and British patterns use the same words for different stitches, which is the single most common reason a project goes wrong. And the shorthand is standardised: most American designers write to the list kept by the Craft Yarn Council, so once you learn it, it carries across patterns.
US and UK crochet terms are not the same
The trap: a UK “double crochet” is an American single crochet. A UK “treble” is an American double crochet. Every stitch name is shifted by one.
So if you work a UK pattern using US terms, every stitch comes out one step too tall, and the piece grows to the wrong size. If a pattern uses single crochet anywhere, it is American. If it uses treble for an ordinary everyday stitch, it is British.
| US term | UK equivalent | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| sc — single crochet | dc — double crochet | The short, dense basic stitch. |
| hdc — half double crochet | htr — half treble | One step taller than single crochet. |
| dc — double crochet | tr — treble | The most common stitch in blankets and garments. |
| tr — treble crochet | dtr — double treble | Tall and open. |
| dtr — double treble | trtr — triple treble | Taller again. Rare outside lace. |
| sl st — slip stitch | ss — slip stitch | The same in both. Joins and travels without adding height. |
| ch — chain | ch — chain | The same in both. |
| gauge | tension | Stitches and rows per 4 inches / 10 cm. |
| skip | miss | Pass over a stitch without working into it. |
| yarn over (yo) | yarn over hook (yoh) | Wrap the yarn around the hook. |
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Everything below this point uses US terms, which is what DailyCrochet patterns are written in.
Basic stitch abbreviations
These nine account for almost every stitch you will work.
| Abbreviation | Stands for | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| ch | chain | Yarn over, pull through the loop on your hook. The foundation of almost everything. |
| sl st | slip stitch | Insert hook, yarn over, pull through the stitch and the loop on the hook in one motion. Adds no height; used to join rounds and move along. |
| sc | single crochet | Insert hook, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through both loops. |
| hdc | half double crochet | Yarn over first, insert hook, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through all three loops. |
| dc | double crochet | Yarn over, insert hook, pull up a loop, then yarn over and pull through two loops twice. |
| tr | treble crochet | Yarn over twice, then work off two loops at a time, three times. |
| dtr | double treble crochet | Yarn over three times, then work off two loops at a time, four times. |
| st / sts | stitch / stitches | What you work into. |
| sp / sps | space / spaces | The gap between stitches, often created by a chain. |
Increases and decreases
Shaping comes from working two stitches into one place, or joining several stitches into one. The word together is abbreviated tog, and the number in front tells you how many stitches are being merged.
| Abbreviation | Stands for | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| inc | increase | Work two stitches into the same stitch. Adds one to your count. |
| dec | decrease | Merge two stitches into one. Removes one from your count. |
| tog | together | Work the named stitches and join them at the top with a final yarn over. |
| sc2tog | single crochet 2 together | A single crochet decrease over two stitches. Count drops by one. |
| dc2tog | double crochet 2 together | A double crochet decrease over two stitches. |
| hdc3tog | half double crochet 3 together | Work a half double into each of the next three stitches but leave the last loop of each on the hook, then pull through all seven loops at once. Your count drops by two. Often used as a decorative cluster rather than for shaping. |
| dc3tog | double crochet 3 together | The same idea with doubles. Also the basis of the popular bobble and cluster stitches. |
| invdec | invisible decrease | An amigurumi decrease worked through the front loops only, so it does not leave a visible gap. |
Pattern instruction terms
| Abbreviation | Stands for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| yo | yarn over | Wrap the yarn over the hook from back to front. |
| sk | skip | Pass a stitch without working into it. Usually paired with a chain. |
| rep | repeat | Almost always points back to a *. |
| rnd / rnds | round / rounds | Worked in a circle rather than back and forth. |
| beg | beginning | As in “beg ch-3”, the chain that starts a row. |
| rem | remaining | “Work to the last 3 rem sts.” |
| cont | continue | |
| foll | following | |
| alt | alternate | “Every alt row” means every other row. |
| approx | approximately | |
| patt | pattern | “Work in patt” means carry on in the established stitch sequence. |
| tch / t-ch | turning chain | The chains worked at the start of a row to bring the yarn up to height. |
| RS / WS | right side / wrong side | The face that will show, and the one that will not. |
| pm / sm | place marker / slip marker | A marker holds your place, especially in a spiral. |
| MC / CC | main colour / contrasting colour | |
| FO | fasten off | Cut the yarn and pull it through the last loop. |
| MR | magic ring | An adjustable loop you can pull closed. The usual start for amigurumi. |
Where to put the hook
Some abbreviations do not change the stitch, only where you work it. These are what create texture.
| Abbreviation | Stands for | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| BLO | back loop only | Work under the back loop of the stitch. Leaves a ridge, and makes a stretchy ribbed fabric. |
| FLO | front loop only | Work under the front loop. The mirror of BLO. |
| tbl | through back loop | Another way of writing BLO in some patterns. |
| fpdc | front post double crochet | Work around the post of the stitch below, from the front. Pushes the stitch forward. |
| bpdc | back post double crochet | The same from the back. Alternating fpdc and bpdc is how ribbing is made. |
| lp / lps | loop / loops | The strands on your hook. |
The punctuation: * and ( ) and [ ]
This is what confuses people far more than the abbreviations themselves.
| Symbol | Means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| * | Marks the start of a sequence you will be told to repeat. | *2 dc in next st, dc in next 2 sts; rep from * to end. |
| ( ) | Work everything inside as a group, usually into one stitch or space. | (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next sp — all of that goes in the same space. |
| [ ] | Either the same as brackets, or a group to repeat a set number of times. | [dc in next st, ch 1] 5 times |
| ( ) at the end of a row | Your stitch count. Check against it every row. | …turn. (29 hdc) |
A worked example
Here is a real row written in shorthand. You are working across 24 stitches.
Row 4: Ch 2 (does not count as a st), hdc in each of next 2 sts, *2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 3 sts; rep from * to last 2 sts, hdc in last 2 sts, turn. (29 hdc)
- Ch 2 (does not count as a st) — make two chains to lift the yarn to the right height. Because it does not count, you will not work a stitch into it at the end of the next row.
- hdc in each of next 2 sts — two ordinary half doubles. That uses 2 of your 24, leaving 22.
- *2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 3 sts — an increase, then three plain stitches. Each pass uses 4 stitches and produces 5.
- rep from * to last 2 sts — go back to the star and do it again until only 2 stitches remain. That is 20 stitches to cover, so 5 passes, producing 25.
- hdc in last 2 sts, turn — two final stitches, then turn the work.
- (29 hdc) — the check. 2 + 25 + 2 = 29. You began with 24 and made 5 increases, so 29 is right. If you count 28 or 30, the mistake is in this row, not the next one.
That stitch count in brackets is the most useful thing in any pattern. Count at the end of every row while you are learning. Finding an error one row late takes a minute to fix; finding it ten rows late costs you an evening.
Phrases that are not abbreviated but still puzzle people
| Phrase | Means | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| in the same st | Work the next stitch into the stitch you just used. | This is how increases are written out longhand. |
| join with sl st | Slip stitch into the first stitch to close a round. | Makes a closed round rather than a spiral. |
| ch-2 counts as first dc | The turning chain is standing in for a stitch. | So do not also work a dc into the first stitch, or you will gain one. |
| work even | No increases or decreases. Same count every row. | |
| right side facing | The front of the work is towards you. | |
| turn | Flip the work to start the next row. | Absent in patterns worked in the round. |
| do not turn | Keep the same face towards you. | Usually means you are working in a spiral. |
Frequently asked questions
What does sl st mean in crochet?
Slip stitch. Insert the hook into the stitch, yarn over, and pull the yarn through the stitch and the loop on your hook in one movement. It adds no height at all, which is why it is used to join a round, to travel along an edge, or to finish off neatly.
What does hdc3tog mean?
Half double crochet three together. Work a half double into each of the next three stitches, but stop before the final pull-through each time so the loops stay on your hook, then yarn over and pull through all seven loops at once. Three stitches become one, so your count drops by two.
What does yo mean?
Yarn over — wrap the working yarn over the hook from back to front. British patterns write it as yoh.
What is the difference between BLO and FLO?
Every stitch has two loops on top. BLO means work under the back one only, FLO the front one only. Using just one loop leaves the other as a visible ridge, and the fabric becomes stretchier. BLO single crochet is how most crochet ribbing is made.
How do I tell if a pattern is US or UK?
Look for single crochet. It exists only in American patterns. If the pattern uses treble as an everyday stitch and never mentions single crochet, it is British — use the conversion table above.
Does the turning chain count as a stitch?
Only when the pattern says so, and it will say. A ch-3 at the start of a double crochet row usually counts as the first dc; a ch-1 before single crochet usually does not. Getting this wrong adds or loses a stitch on every row, which is why edges go crooked.
Where to go next
Now that the shorthand makes sense, put it to use. Our beginner guide to crochet walks through holding the hook and making the basic stitches, the yarn weight chart explains what the numbers on a ball band mean, and this guide to crochet hooks covers choosing one.
When you are ready for a project, the beginner patterns are the place to start, and the crochet stitch library has a tutorial for every stitch named on this page. Everything is free in free crochet patterns.
Where these standards come from
These abbreviations follow the standard list maintained by the Craft Yarn Council, which is what most American designers write to. Their guide to reading a crochet pattern is worth a look too. The explanations and the worked example on this page are ours.
