Crochet Abbreviations
Crochet patterns are written using a kind of short form using crochet abbreviations. If a pattern was written using words rather than abbreviations, it would run to so many pages, each pattern would be a similar size as a small book.
Let's compare a line from one of my patterns and how it would look if it was written using the full terms.
From the pattern:
Round 3: (sc 1, inc) * 6 times [18]
Long version:
Round 3: Single crochet one stitch, increase in the next stitch. Repeat these two stitches a total of six times. You will have eighteen stitches at the end of the round.
See what I mean?
Learning the meanings of all of the abbreviations can take some time. Most patterns will have a list of the abbreviations used at the front (before the the row by row or round by round instructions) but it helps if you understand what each of them actually means.
Crochet Abbreviations Table
| Abbr | Description | Abbr | Description |
| alt | alternate | FPtr | front post treble crochet |
| approx | approximately | hdc | half double crochet |
| beg | begin/beginning | hdc2tog | half double crochet 2 stitches together |
| bet | between | inc | increase |
| BL or BLO | back loop or back loop only | lp | loop |
| bo | bobble | m | marker |
| BP | back post | MC | main color |
| BPdc | back post double crochet | pat or patt | pattern |
| BPdtr | back post double treble crochet | pc | popcorn stitch |
| BPhdc | back post half double crochet | pm | place marker |
| BPsc | back post single crochet | prev | previous |
| BPtr | back post treble crochet | ps or puff | puff stitch |
| CC | contrasting color | rem | remaining |
| ch | chain stitch | rep | repeat |
| ch- | refer to chain or space previously made, e.g., ch-1 space | rnd | round |
| ch-sp | chain space | RS | right side |
| CL | cluster | sc | single crochet |
| cont | continue | sc2tog | single crochet 2 stitches together |
| dc | double crochet | sh | shell |
| dc2tog | double crochet 2 stitches together | sk | skip |
| dec | decrease | sl st | slip stitch |
| dtr | double treble crochet | sm or sl m | slip marker |
| edc | extended double crochet | sp | space |
| ehdc | extended half double crochet | st | stitch |
| esc | extended single crochet | tbl | through back loop |
| etr | extended treble crochet | tch or t-ch | turning chain |
| FL or FLO | front loop or front loop only | tog | together |
| foll | following | tr | treble crochet |
| FP | front post | tr2tog | treble crochet 2 stitches together |
| FPdc | front post double crochet | trtr | triple treble crochet |
| FPdtr | front post double treble crochet | WS | wrong side |
| FPhdc | front post half double crochet | yo | yarn over |
| FPsc | front post single crochet | yoh | yarn over hook |
Abbreviation Differences between the US and UK
As mentioned elsewhere on this site, there are some abbreviations that are used in both the US and the UK but the meanings are different in each country (and their patterns). Some of those terms are listed below.
| US/Canada | UK | |
| slip stitch (sl st) | slip stitch (ss) | |
| single crochet (sc) | double crochet (dc) | |
| half double crochet (hdc) | half treble (htr) | |
| double crochet (dc) | treble (tr) | |
| treble (tr) | double treble (dtr) | |
| double treble (dtr) | triple treble (trtr) | |
| gauge | tension | |
| yarn over (yo) | yarn over hook (yoh) |
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