Crochet guide
How to write a crochet pattern
A written crochet pattern has the same parts in much the same order: what the piece is and its size, the materials, the gauge, the abbreviations, any notes, and then the rows or rounds. Word each row so that a stranger can follow it and check the count at its end.
On this page 7 parts
The parts of a pattern, in order
Most patterns set out what the maker needs before the first row. Keep to this order and a reader will find each part where it is expected.
| Part | What to write |
|---|---|
| Name and description | What the piece is, in a line or two, and how much skill it asks for. |
| Finished size | The measurements of the finished piece. |
| Materials | The weight and fiber of the yarn, an amount in yards or meters, the hook size, and the other things needed, such as buttons or stitch markers. |
| Gauge | How many stitches and rows measure 4 in (10 cm), and in which stitch. |
| Abbreviations and special stitches | Every short form the rows use, and how to work any stitch beyond the basic ones. |
| Notes | Anything to read first: whether the piece is worked in rows or in rounds, which side is the right side, whether the turning chain counts. |
| The rows or rounds | The instructions themselves, one row or round to a line. |
Give the yarn as a real amount, not as "a small amount". A reader has to know whether one ball is enough. An amount worked out from a sample is still an estimate, so say that it is one.
How to word a row
Here is a small pattern written the way the patterns on this site are written.
Foundation: Ch 21.
Row 1 (RS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across (20 sc).
Rows 2 to 24: Ch 1, turn; sc in each st across (20 sc).
Fasten off and weave in the ends.
In these lines ch is chain, sc is single crochet (double crochet in United Kingdom terms), st is stitch and RS is the right side. Each line shows a habit worth keeping.
- Number every row or round. On this site, rows that are worked the same way share one line.
- State the starting chain. Some writers give it a line of its own and some put it at the start of row 1. Either works.
- Mark the right side. RS in the label of row 1 tells the reader which face of the piece is meant to be seen.
- Say where each stitch goes. "In 2nd ch from hook" and "in each st across" leave nothing to guess.
- End with the count. The number of stitches at the end of a row lets the reader check their work. Writers set it in parentheses or after a colon.
- Say whether the turning chain counts. For stitches taller than single crochet it is usually counted as the first stitch of the row. Patterns differ, so put it in the notes or in the line.
- Use the standard abbreviations, one form of each. Do not write "sl st" for slip stitch in one row and spell it another way in the next.
Repeats
Three marks carry most repeats.
- Square brackets hold steps to be worked a set number of times, with the number straight after them.
- An asterisk marks the point to go back to. The steps after it are repeated across the row, or as many times as the line says.
- Parentheses most often hold a group of stitches that all go into one stitch or space. Some writers use them for repeats too.
Whichever marks you choose, use each one the same way all through the pattern, and say in the notes what it means wherever a reader could doubt it. Be exact about the number. "Repeat 2 more times" means three times in all, and a reader should not have to wonder which you meant.
Say which terms you use
United States and United Kingdom patterns use the same words for different stitches. State near the top which terms the pattern is written in. The US and UK terms chart lists the pairs, and the abbreviations chart lists the short forms.
Keep one style
Write every pattern the same way: the same order of parts, the same abbreviations, the same form for a count. Designers call the list of these choices a style sheet. It helps the writer, and it helps the person who follows the pattern.
Check it before you share it
Publishers and designers advise three checks.
- Make the piece yourself. Designers make a sample of their own pattern.
- Ask other crocheters to follow it. A pattern tester makes the piece from the draft and reports back. Testing shows whether the instructions are clear to someone who did not write them.
- Have the numbers checked. A technical editor reads the pattern closely, checks the math and makes the wording consistent. An editor may work from the text alone, without making the piece.
A tester and a technical editor do different work, and one does not replace the other.
Where to go next
- See the same parts from the reader's side in how to read a crochet pattern.
- For the gauge line, read gauge and how to measure it.
- To estimate the yarn from a swatch, use the yarn calculator.
- If the pattern has a diagram as well as words, see how to read crochet charts.