Crochet Abbreviations Complete List: 80+ Terms Explained

Essential abbreviations: the top 25

If you can read these, you can read 95% of contemporary patterns. Bookmark this table and refer back as needed — there's no shame in checking, even experienced crocheters reference the chart for unfamiliar abbreviations.

US abbreviation	US term	UK equivalent	Description
ch	Chain	ch	Foundation stitch; the building block of everything
sl st	Slip stitch	ss	No-height stitch, used for joining
sc	Single crochet	dc (double crochet)	Short, dense stitch
hdc	Half-double crochet	htr (half treble)	Medium-height stitch
dc	Double crochet	tr (treble)	Tall, versatile stitch
tr	Treble crochet	dtr (double treble)	Very tall, open stitch
sk	Skip	miss	Skip the next stitch or chain
sp	Space	sp	Chain space between stitches
st(s)	Stitch(es)	st(s)	Refers to a stitch or stitches
yo	Yarn over	yoh (yarn over hook)	Wrap yarn around hook
inc	Increase	inc	2 stitches worked in the same stitch
dec	Decrease	dec	Combine 2 stitches into 1
tog	Together	tog	Work stitches together (a decrease)
rep	Repeat	rep	Repeat instructions
beg	Beginning	beg	Start of row or round
rnd(s)	Round(s)	rnd(s)	A round (when working in circles)
FO	Fasten off	FO	Secure and cut yarn
RS	Right side	RS	Front / public side of fabric
WS	Wrong side	WS	Back / hidden side of fabric
PM	Place marker	PM	Place a stitch marker
MR / MC	Magic ring / Magic circle	MR	Adjustable starting ring
BLO	Back loop only	BLO	Insert hook in back loop only
FLO	Front loop only	FLO	Insert hook in front loop only
FPdc	Front post double crochet	RFtr	Work around front of post
BPdc	Back post double crochet	RBtr	Work around back of post

Stitch abbreviations: US and UK side by side

This is where most pattern errors originate. The same two-letter abbreviation describes a different stitch depending on which terminology the pattern uses. The pattern below works through every standard stitch from shortest to tallest, with both US and UK names:

Height	US term	US abbreviation	UK term	UK abbreviation
No height	Slip stitch	sl st	Slip stitch	ss
Shortest	Single crochet	sc	Double crochet	dc
Short-medium	Half-double crochet	hdc	Half treble	htr
Medium	Double crochet	dc	Treble	tr
Tall	Treble crochet	tr	Double treble	dtr
Taller	Double treble	dtr	Triple treble	ttr
Tallest	Triple treble	ttr	Quadruple treble	qtr

Notice the consistent pattern: the UK system uses the next-taller name for the same physical stitch. UK terminology has a separate "single crochet" — a tiny, almost-flat stitch that doesn't appear in US terminology at all. If you see "single crochet" in a UK pattern, it is not the US single crochet.

Action and direction abbreviations

These appear throughout patterns describing what to do with the stitches, not which stitches to make:

• yo (yarn over) — wrap the working yarn around the hook from back to front. Sometimes written "yoh" in UK patterns.
• turn — flip the work over to work back along the row you just made. Always preceded by a turning chain.
• join — connect two parts of the work, usually with a slip stitch.
• work even — continue without increasing or decreasing.
• across — for the rest of the row.
• around — for the rest of the round, when working in circles.
• tbl (through back loop) — insert the hook through only the back loop of the stitch below.
• tfl (through front loop) — insert through only the front loop.
• cont — continue, usually a current pattern.
• spsk — space, skip.

Pattern symbols: asterisks, parentheses, brackets

Patterns use three different symbols to mark repeats and groupings. Confusing them is the second-most common pattern-reading error after US/UK terminology mix-ups.

Asterisks ( * )

Instructions between asterisks are repeated. Example: * sc, dc, sc * across means repeat the sequence sc, dc, sc all the way to the end of the row. Some patterns use single asterisks (* ... ; rep from * across); others use pairs (* ... *). Both mean the same thing.

Parentheses ( )

Two meanings depending on context, both common:

• Group of stitches into the same place — e.g. (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in corner space means work all five things into a single chain space. This produces the corner of a granny square.
• Stitch count at the end of a row or round — e.g. Row 5: sc across (24) or Rnd 3: ... (18 sts). The number in parentheses is the total you should have at that point.

Brackets [ ]

Square brackets indicate a sequence repeated a specific number of times. Example: [sc in next 3 sts, inc] × 6 means perform the bracketed sequence exactly 6 times. Some patterns use brackets and asterisks interchangeably; some use brackets specifically for inner repeats nested inside asterisk repeats.

The US vs UK terminology trap

If you follow a UK pattern using US terminology — or the reverse — every stitch will be one height category off. Your project will be approximately 30-40% smaller or larger than intended, and any stitch pattern that relies on specific heights (shells, lace, ripple) will be visually wrong.

How to identify which terminology a pattern uses

1. Check the country of origin. American patterns and most patterns sold through US-based publishers use US terms. British, Australian, and many European patterns use UK terms. South African patterns mostly use UK. Asian patterns (translated into English) vary.
2. Look for the explicit declaration. Most reputable patterns now say "US crochet terms" or "UK crochet terms" near the top.
3. Check the gauge clue. If a "double crochet" gauge is stated as 14-16 stitches per 4 inches, it's likely US (real US double crochet). If it's 22-26 stitches per 4 inches, it's likely UK (which is US single crochet, denser).
4. Check the stitch list. If the pattern mentions both "single crochet" and "double crochet," it's US. If it mentions both "double crochet" and "treble," it's UK.

Less common but important abbreviations

These appear in specialised patterns — amigurumi, lace, garments — and are worth recognising even if you don't use them daily:

• cl — cluster (multiple stitches joined at the top)
• bobble — typically 5 dc worked together in one stitch, producing a 3D bump
• shell — a fan of multiple stitches in one place
• V-st — V-stitch: dc, ch 1, dc all in the same stitch
• inv-dec — invisible decrease, used in amigurumi (front loops only)
• foundation sc/dc — chainless foundation, builds the first row without a separate chain
• spike st — single crochet worked into a stitch below the current row
• edging — decorative border stitches
• tch — turning chain
• contrasting / CC / MC — contrasting colour / main colour

Most patterns list their specific abbreviations at the start, particularly for non-standard or designer-coined stitches. Always read the pattern's "Stitches Used" or "Abbreviations" section before starting — five minutes there saves an hour of confusion later.

Sources & further reading

• Craft Yarn Council — Standard Yarn Weight System
• Crochet Guild of America (CGOA) — professional standards
• Edie Eckman, The Crochet Answer Book (Storey Publishing) — technique reference
• Clara Parkes, The Knitter's Book of Yarn (Potter Craft) — fibre properties

CYC — Official Crochet Abbreviations