Tutorial
How to Read a Crochet Pattern
Crochet patterns look like code because they are: a dense notation designed to fit a complicated garment onto two pages.
There are only a handful of conventions to learn, and one genuine trap that catches people before they finish the first row.
First: is it US or UK terminology?
This is the trap, and it is worth checking before anything else. US and UK crochet use the same words for different stitches.
A US single crochet is a UK double crochet. A US double crochet is a UK treble. If you work a US pattern using UK terms, every stitch comes out the wrong height and the piece is wrong from row one.
Well-written patterns state which they use near the top. If yours does not, look at the stitch list: a pattern that mentions single crochet is US, and one that mentions double crochet as its shortest stitch is almost certainly UK.
- US single crochet (sc) = UK double crochet (dc)
- US half double crochet (hdc) = UK half treble (htr)
- US double crochet (dc) = UK treble (tr)
- US treble (tr) = UK double treble (dtr)
- Chain (ch) and slip stitch (sl st) are the same in both
The abbreviations you will meet constantly
Most patterns use a small shared vocabulary. Anything unusual is normally defined in the pattern's own notes, so a term you cannot find is a reason to re-read the notes rather than to guess.
- ch — chain
- sl st — slip stitch
- sc / hdc / dc / tr — the stitch heights, shortest to tallest (US)
- inc / dec — increase and decrease
- st(s) — stitch(es)
- rep — repeat
- BLO / FLO — work in the back or front loop only
- tog — worked together, as in dc2tog
Brackets, parentheses and asterisks
These are how patterns compress repetition, and they are the part people misread most.
Parentheses and brackets group stitches that go into one place or repeat as a unit: (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in next st means all of that goes into a single stitch. Asterisks mark a section to repeat: *2 sc, inc, rep from * to end means work that three-stitch sequence over and over.
A number in parentheses at the end of a row is a stitch count, not an instruction: (24 sts) means you should have 24 stitches when the row is done. Check it every time — it is the cheapest error detection in crochet, and it tells you about a mistake one row after you made it instead of ten.
Gauge and hook size are not suggestions
The hook size in a pattern is the designer's starting point, not a rule. What matters is the gauge: the stitch and row count over a set measurement, usually 10 cm or 4 inches.
If your gauge is tighter than the pattern's, go up a hook size; if looser, go down. For a blanket or scarf it barely matters. For anything that has to fit, it decides whether the finished garment is your size.
Read the whole thing before you start
Five minutes reading the pattern end to end tells you things you cannot discover later: whether it is worked flat or in the round, whether there is a set-up section before the repeat begins, whether the turning chain counts as a stitch, and how much yarn you actually need.
That last one matters more than it sounds. Finding out on the final sleeve that you are one ball short of a discontinued dye lot is the most avoidable disappointment in the craft.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between US and UK crochet terms?
The same names describe different stitch heights. A US single crochet is a UK double crochet, a US double crochet is a UK treble, and so on. Check which terminology a pattern uses before starting, because working a pattern in the wrong system makes every stitch the wrong height.
What do the numbers in parentheses at the end of a row mean?
They are the stitch count you should have after completing that row — for example (24 sts). Checking it every row catches mistakes almost immediately, which is far cheaper than discovering them ten rows later.
What does "rep from *" mean in a crochet pattern?
Repeat the sequence starting at the asterisk. Patterns usually say how far — "rep from * to end" or "rep from * 5 more times" — and a repeat counter is worth keeping for exactly this, since the repeat boundary leaves no trace in the fabric.
Do I have to match the pattern's gauge?
For anything that needs to fit, yes. For a scarf or blanket, close enough is fine — but a different gauge changes the finished size and how much yarn you use, so check before you buy.