Stitchbay guide
Crochet chart symbols and what they mean
Crochet charts draw each stitch as a symbol about as tall as the stitch: an oval for a chain, a dot for a slip stitch, a cross for single crochet, a T for half double, and a T with one or two slashes for double and treble crochet. Read rounds from the centre, rows from the bottom.
| Symbol | Stitch (US) | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| chain (ch; UK ch) | Yarn over and pull a loop through the loop on the hook. The foundation of most crochet, and the gaps in lace. | |
| slip stitch (sl st; UK ss) | 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. | |
| single crochet (sc; UK dc) | 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. | |
| half double crochet (hdc; UK htr) | Yarn over, insert, pull up a loop (three on the hook), yarn over and pull through all three. | |
| double crochet (dc; UK tr) | 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. | |
| treble crochet (tr; UK dtr) | Yarn over twice, insert, pull up a loop (four on the hook), then yarn over and pull through two, three times. | |
| increase (inc; UK inc) | Two stitches in the same stitch (two sc unless the pattern says otherwise). One more stitch. | |
| single crochet two together (sc2tog; UK dc2tog) | 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. | |
| invisible decrease (invdec; UK invdec) | 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. | |
| double crochet two together (dc2tog; UK tr2tog) | 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. | |
| double crochet increase (dc inc; UK dc inc) | Two dc in the same stitch. One more stitch. UK: tr inc. | |
| half double crochet increase (hdc inc; UK hdc inc) | Two hdc in the same stitch. One more stitch. UK: htr inc. | |
| double crochet three together (dc3tog; UK tr3tog) | 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. | |
| back / front loop only (blo / flo; UK blo / flo) | Work into just one of the two loops on top of the stitch. Leaves a ridge: for ribbing and texture. | |
| front / back post double crochet (fpdc / bpdc; UK fptr / bptr) | 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. | |
| magic ring (mr; UK mr) | Wrap the yarn round your fingers into a loop, work the first round into it, then pull the tail to close the centre tight. | |
| chain space (ch-sp; UK ch-sp) | The gap under a chain from the round before; "in next ch-sp" means work under it, not into the chain stitches. | |
| puff stitch (puff; UK puff) | (Yarn over, insert, pull up a long loop) several times in one stitch, then pull through every loop. Soft and raised. | |
| bobble (bobble; UK bobble) | Several dc in one stitch, each stopped before its last pull-through, then all closed together. A firm bump. |