Crochet abbreviations and UK to US crochet terms

How to read crochet pattern abbreviations

Keep this guide of crochet pattern abbreviations handy when you're crocheting patterns from Simply Crochet or other UK crochet patterns.

If you're in the States, scroll down for our conversion chart for UK to US crochet terms and abbreviations, as a few terms vary overseas.

We've also included some handy links to tutorials underneath the relevant crochet abbreviations, and if you need any extra help, check out our guide on how to read a crochet pattern.

• across to end of the row
• alt alternate/alternating
• approx approximate(ly)
• beg beginning
• bl insert hook under back loop only
  how to crochet in the front and back loops
• BPtr Back Post treble: yrh, starting from the back, insert hook from back to front to back around post of st in row below, complete as treble st.
  How to crochet post stitches
• ch(s) chain/chain stitch(es)
  How to chain stitch and count your chains
• ch-sp(s) chain space(s)
• ch- refers to ch made previously, eg. ch-3
• cl(s) clusters
• 4-tr cl (yrh, insert hook in sp/st, yrh & pull up loop, yrh & draw through 2 loops) 4 times, inserting hook in same sp/st, yrh & draw through all loops on hook
• cont continue
• dc double crochet
  How to double crochet
• dc2tog (insert hook in next st, yrh and draw a loop through) twice, yrh and draw through all 3 loops on hook
  How to decrease in crochet stitches
• dec decrease
  How to decrease in crochet stitches
• dtr double treble crochet
  how to double treble crochet and beyond
• dtr2tog work 2dtr together
• fl insert hook under front loop only
  how to crochet in the front and back loops
• foll/folls following/follows
• FPtr Front Post treble: work in opposite way to BPtr
  How to crochet post stitches
• htr half treble
  How to make a half treble crochet stitch
• htr2tog work 2htr together
• in next sts to be worked into the same stitch
• inc increase
  How to increase in crochet stitches
• LH left hand
• lp(s) loop(s)
• meas measures
• p or pc picot
• patt(s) pattern(s)
• pm place marker
• prev previous
• rem remain(s)/remaining
• rep repeat
• RH right hand
• rnd(s) round(s)
  How to crochet in the round
• RS right side
• sk skip
• sp(s) space(s)
• ss slip stitch
  How to make a slip stitch
• st(s) stitch(es)
• tbl through back loop
• t-ch(s) turning chain(s)
• tog together
  How to decrease in crochet stitches
• tr treble crochet
  How to treble crochet
• tr2tog (yrh, insert hook in next st, yrh and pull up loop, yrh and draw through 2 loops) twice, yrh and draw through all loops on hook
  How to decrease in crochet stitches
• ttr triple treble crochet
  How to double treble crochet and beyond
• WS wrong side
• yoh yarn over hook
• yrh yarn round hook
• * work instructions immediately foll *, then rep as directed
• [] or () work or repeat all instructions in the brackets as directed

Or print out and keep this crochet abbreviation chart to hand

How to convert UK to US crochet terms, or vice versa!

Crochet symbols UK to US crochet terms conversion

Whenever we use charts in our magazine, we'll always include a key, and crochet charts almost always use the same symbols regardless of which terminology you are using. Our charts will always be in UK terminology, but here’s a basic key for all those of you who need to see both UK and US terms, and the difference between the two.

How to read crochet symbols

If you're trying to follow a pattern which uses crochet symbols, but aren't sure how to use them, check out our guide on How to read crochet charts

UK to US crochet terms and abbreviations conversions

All of Simply Crochet's patterns in the magazine and online are written in UK crochet terms, but if you follow US terminology, the information and simple chart below can help you translate our patterns and others on the web into US crochet terms.

It may seem a bit confusing at first, but an easy thing to remember is that UK terms don't have a single crochet stitch, so if you see that, you know you're working from a US pattern. You can also think of UK terms as being one step up from US terms, so a US single crochet is a UK double crochet, a US double crochet is a UK treble crochet, and so on!

UK

• chain ch
• slip stitch ss
• double crochet dc
• half treble htr
• treble tr
• double treble dtr
• triple treble ttr

US

• chain ch
• slip stitch ss
• single crochet sc
• half double hdc
• double dc
• treble tr
• double treble dtr

Or print out and keep this handy UK to US crochet terms chart

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Get to know your crochet abbreviations

Use these helpful charts as a reminder if you're taking on a crochet project that's written in a way you're not used to.