How to Read Crochet Abbreviations
At first glance, crochet patterns look like a foreign language. They use a lot of abbreviations and symbols, but once you get used to decoding them, they actually make it easier to read a pattern.
Before diving into a pattern, check to see if it's written in US or UK terminology. The same stitches are named differently based on the country. All the patterns in The Woobles crochet kits are written in US terminology. Here's a list of all the abbreviations used in the Woobles crochet kits, plus their UK equivalent:
| US Abbreviations | US Terminology | UK Abbreviations | UK Terminology |
|---|---|---|---|
| blo | through back loops only | bl | through back loops only |
| ch | chain | ch | chain |
| dc | double crochet | tr | treble crochet |
| dc5tog | bobble stitch, double crochet 5 stitches together (or any number of stitches) | tr5tog | bobble stitch, treble crochet 5 stitches together (or any number of stitches) |
| dec | decrease | dec | decrease |
| flo | through front loops only | fl | through front loops only |
| hdc | half double crochet | htr | half treble crochet |
| inc | increase | inc | increase |
| rnd | round | rnd | round |
| sc | single crochet | dc | double crochet |
| sc3tog | single crochet 3 stitches together | dc3tog | double crochet 3 stitches together |
| sk st | skip stitch | - | miss |
| sl st | slip stitch | ss | slip stitch |
| sl st join | slip stitch join | ss join | slip stitch join |
| st | stitch | st | stitch |
Still have questions?
The main difference is that UK terms are "one step up" from US terms. For example, a US single crochet (sc) is called a double crochet (dc) in UK terminology. A US double crochet (dc) is called a treble crochet (tr) in UK terms. Always check which terminology your pattern uses before starting.
Most patterns will state at the beginning whether they use US or UK terminology. If it's not specified, look for clues: if you see "sc" (single crochet), it's likely US. If you see "dc" used for basic stitches, it could be UK terminology.
"Tog" stands for "together" and is used when you need to combine multiple stitches into one. For example, "sc3tog" means single crochet 3 stitches together, which creates a decrease.
Still have a question? Go ahead and contact us.