Crochet Terms & Stitches
Complete guide to crochet terminology in US, UK, and French. Never get confused by pattern instructions again!
Important: US, UK, and French crochet terms are different! A US "double crochet" is the same as a UK "treble crochet". Always check which terminology your pattern uses.
Complete Crochet Terms Reference
| US Term | US Abbrev. | UK Term | UK Abbrev. | French Term | French Abbrev. | Description | Video Tutorial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single Crochet | sc | Double Crochet | dc | Maille Serrée | ms | The most basic crochet stitch | Coming Soon |
| Half Double Crochet | hdc | Half Treble Crochet | htr | Demi-Bride | db | Medium height stitch between sc and dc | Coming Soon |
| Double Crochet | dc | Treble Crochet | tr | Bride | b | Tall stitch, yarn over once before inserting hook | Coming Soon |
| Treble Crochet | tr | Double Treble Crochet | dtr | Double Bride | db | Very tall stitch, yarn over twice | Coming Soon |
| Double Treble Crochet | dtr | Triple Treble Crochet | ttr | Triple Bride | tb | Extra tall stitch, yarn over three times | Coming Soon |
| Slip Stitch | sl st | Slip Stitch | sl st | Maille Coulée | mc | Joining stitch with no height | Coming Soon |
| Chain | ch | Chain | ch | Chainette | ch | Foundation stitch for most crochet work | Coming Soon |
| Magic Ring | mr | Magic Ring | mr | Anneau Magique | am | Adjustable loop to start working in the round | Coming Soon |
| Foundation Chain | fch | Foundation Chain | fch | Chaînette de Base | cb | Starting chain for most crochet projects | Coming Soon |
| Turning Chain | tch | Turning Chain | tch | Maille en l'Air | ml | Chain(s) at the beginning of a row to reach proper height | Coming Soon |
| Yarn Over | yo | Yarn Over Hook | yoh | Jeté | j | Wrapping yarn around hook before inserting into stitch | Coming Soon |
| Front Post | fp | Raised Front | rf | Relief Avant | ra | Working around the front of a post for texture | Coming Soon |
| Back Post | bp | Raised Back | rb | Relief Arrière | rar | Working around the back of a post for texture | Coming Soon |
| Round | rnd | Round | rnd | Tour | t | A complete circle when working in the round | Coming Soon |
| Repeat | rep | Repeat | rep | Répéter | rép | Instructions to be worked multiple times | Coming Soon |
| Skip | sk | Miss | miss | Sauter | s | Pass over a stitch without working into it | Coming Soon |
| Together | tog | Together | tog | Ensemble | ens | Working multiple stitches as one (decrease) | Coming Soon |
| Space | sp | Space | sp | Espace | esp | Gap between stitches, often a chain space | Coming Soon |
| Stitch | st | Stitch | st | Maille | m | Individual loop or unit of crochet work | Coming Soon |
| Gauge | gauge | Tension | tension | Échantillon | éch | Number of stitches and rows per inch - crucial for correct sizing | Coming Soon |
US Terminology
Single Crochetsc
Half Double Crochethdc
Double Crochetdc
Treble Crochettr
Double Treble Crochetdtr
UK Terminology
Double Crochetdc
Half Treble Crochethtr
Treble Crochettr
Double Treble Crochetdtr
Triple Treble Crochetttr
French Terminology
Maille Serréems
Demi-Bridedb
Brideb
Double Bridedb
Triple Bridetb
Helpful Tips
Pattern Reading Tips
- Always check if the pattern uses US, UK, or French terminology
- Look for a stitch guide or abbreviation list in the pattern
- When in doubt, check the gauge swatch instructions
- US patterns are most common online, UK in British publications
Common Mistakes
- Assuming all patterns use the same terminology
- Not checking the pattern's country of origin
- Mixing US, UK, and French terms in the same project
- Ignoring the gauge when switching terminologies