Stitchbay guide
Crochet abbreviations in US and UK terms
Crochet patterns shorten each stitch: ch is chain, sl st slip stitch, sc single crochet, hdc half double, dc double and tr treble, in US terms. UK patterns use the same letters one step up (UK dc is US sc), so the table gives both.
| Symbol | US | UK | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ch | ch | chain. Yarn over and pull a loop through the loop on the hook. The foundation of most crochet, and the gaps in lace. | |
| sl st | ss | slip stitch. Insert the hook, yarn over and pull through the stitch and the loop on the hook in one go. The shortest stitch: for joining and moving along. | |
| sc | dc | single crochet (UK: double crochet). Insert the hook, yarn over, pull up a loop (two on the hook), yarn over and pull through both. Short and dense: amigurumi's stitch. | |
| hdc | htr | half double crochet (UK: half treble crochet). Yarn over, insert, pull up a loop (three on the hook), yarn over and pull through all three. | |
| dc | tr | double crochet (UK: treble crochet). Yarn over, insert, pull up a loop (three on the hook), yarn over and pull through two, yarn over and pull through the last two. | |
| tr | dtr | treble crochet (UK: double treble crochet). Yarn over twice, insert, pull up a loop (four on the hook), then yarn over and pull through two, three times. | |
| inc | inc | increase. Two stitches in the same stitch (two sc unless the pattern says otherwise). One more stitch. | |
| sc2tog | dc2tog | single crochet two together (UK: double crochet two together). Pull up a loop in each of the next two stitches (three on the hook), yarn over and pull through all three. One fewer. UK: dc2tog. | |
| invdec | invdec | invisible decrease. Insert the hook in the front loops only of the next two stitches, yarn over and pull through both, then finish as a sc. Neater than sc2tog in amigurumi. | |
| dc2tog | tr2tog | double crochet two together (UK: treble crochet two together). Work a dc in each of the next two stitches up to the last pull-through, then yarn over and pull through all three loops. UK: tr2tog. | |
| dc inc | dc inc | double crochet increase. Two dc in the same stitch. One more stitch. UK: tr inc. | |
| hdc inc | hdc inc | half double crochet increase. Two hdc in the same stitch. One more stitch. UK: htr inc. | |
| dc3tog | tr3tog | double crochet three together (UK: treble crochet three together). Work a dc in each of the next three stitches up to the last pull-through, then yarn over and pull through all four loops. Two fewer: the valley of a ripple. UK: tr3tog. | |
| blo / flo | blo / flo | back / front loop only. Work into just one of the two loops on top of the stitch. Leaves a ridge: for ribbing and texture. | |
| fpdc / bpdc | fptr / bptr | front / back post double crochet (UK: front / back post treble crochet). Work the dc around the post of the stitch below, from the front or from behind. Raised stitches for cables and crochet ribbing. UK: fptr / bptr. | |
| mr | mr | magic ring. Wrap the yarn round your fingers into a loop, work the first round into it, then pull the tail to close the centre tight. | |
| ch-sp | ch-sp | chain space. The gap under a chain from the round before; "in next ch-sp" means work under it, not into the chain stitches. | |
| sk | miss | skip (UK: miss). Don't work into the next stitch; move past it. UK: miss. | |
| yo | yrh | yarn over (UK: yarn round hook). Wrap the yarn over the hook from back to front. UK: yarn round hook (yrh). | |
| tch | tch | turning chain. The chains at the start of a row that bring the hook up to the height of the stitches. Sometimes they count as the first stitch; the pattern says. | |
| FO | FO | fasten off. Cut the yarn and pull the end through the last loop. | |
| puff | puff | puff stitch. (Yarn over, insert, pull up a long loop) several times in one stitch, then pull through every loop. Soft and raised. | |
| bobble | bobble | bobble. Several dc in one stitch, each stopped before its last pull-through, then all closed together. A firm bump. |
US and UK names side by side
| US | UK |
|---|---|
| chain (ch) | chain (ch) |
| slip stitch (sl st) | slip stitch (ss) |
| single crochet (sc) | double crochet (dc) |
| half double crochet (hdc) | half treble crochet (htr) |
| double crochet (dc) | treble crochet (tr) |
| treble crochet (tr) | double treble crochet (dtr) |
| double treble crochet (dtr) | triple treble crochet (trtr) |
| sc2tog | dc2tog |
| dc2tog | tr2tog |
| skip | miss |
| yarn over (yo) | yarn round hook (yrh) |
| gauge | tension |