Crochet tool
Crochet abbreviations and terms
What does this abbreviation in my pattern mean?
sc · Stands for
single crochet
Kind: Stitches
Crochet abbreviations, marks and measures
| Abbreviation | Stands for | Kind |
|---|---|---|
| ch | chain stitch | Stitches |
| sl st | slip stitch | Stitches |
| sc | single crochet | Stitches |
| hdc | half double crochet | Stitches |
| dc | double crochet | Stitches |
| tr | treble crochet | Stitches |
| dtr | double treble crochet | Stitches |
| trtr | triple treble crochet | Stitches |
| esc | extended single crochet | Stitches |
| ehdc | extended half double crochet | Stitches |
| edc | extended double crochet | Stitches |
| sc2tog | single crochet 2 stitches together | Stitches |
| hdc2tog | half double crochet 2 stitches together | Stitches |
| dc2tog | double crochet 2 stitches together | Stitches |
| tr2tog | treble crochet 2 stitches together | Stitches |
| FP | front post | Stitches |
| BP | back post | Stitches |
| FPsc | front post single crochet | Stitches |
| BPsc | back post single crochet | Stitches |
| FPhdc | front post half double crochet | Stitches |
| FPdc | front post double crochet | Stitches |
| BPdc | back post double crochet | Stitches |
| FPtr | front post treble crochet | Stitches |
| BPtr | back post treble crochet | Stitches |
| bo | bobble | Stitches |
| CL | cluster | Stitches |
| pc | popcorn stitch | Stitches |
| alt | alternate | Words and actions |
| approx | approximately | Words and actions |
| beg | begin or beginning | Words and actions |
| bet | between | Words and actions |
| BL or BLO | back loop, or back loop only | Words and actions |
| FL or FLO | front loop, or front loop only | Words and actions |
| CC | contrasting color | Words and actions |
| MC | main color | Words and actions |
| ch- | a chain or chain space made earlier, as in "ch-1 space" | Words and actions |
| ch-sp | chain space | Words and actions |
| cont | continue | Words and actions |
| dec | decrease | Words and actions |
| inc | increase | Words and actions |
| foll | following | Words and actions |
| lp | loop | Words and actions |
| pm | place marker | Words and actions |
| pat or patt | pattern | Words and actions |
| prev | previous | Words and actions |
| rem | remaining | Words and actions |
| rep | repeat | Words and actions |
| rnd | round | Words and actions |
| RS | right side | Words and actions |
| WS | wrong side | Words and actions |
| sk | skip | Words and actions |
| sp | space | Words and actions |
| st | stitch | Words and actions |
| tbl | through back loop | Words and actions |
| tch or t-ch | turning chain | Words and actions |
| tog | together | Words and actions |
| yo | yarn over | Words and actions |
| yoh | yarn over hook | Words and actions |
| * | repeat what follows the asterisk as the pattern directs | Marks |
| * * | repeat what is between the two asterisks as many times as directed, or where the pattern says | Marks |
| { } | work what is inside the braces as many times as directed | Marks |
| [ ] | work what is inside the brackets as many times as directed | Marks |
| ( ) | work what is inside the parentheses as many times as directed, or work that group of stitches all into one stitch or space | Marks |
| " or in | inch | Measures |
| cm | centimeter | Measures |
| g | gram | Measures |
| m | meter | Measures |
| mm | millimeter | Measures |
| oz | ounce | Measures |
| yd | yard | Measures |
| FwP | forward pass | Tunisian crochet |
| RetP | return pass | Tunisian crochet |
| tdc | Tunisian double crochet | Tunisian crochet |
| tfs | Tunisian full stitch | Tunisian crochet |
| tks | Tunisian knit stitch | Tunisian crochet |
| tps | Tunisian purl stitch | Tunisian crochet |
| trs | Tunisian reverse stitch | Tunisian crochet |
| tss | Tunisian simple stitch | Tunisian crochet |
| ttr | Tunisian treble crochet | Tunisian crochet |
| WIP | work in progress | Makers' short forms |
| UFO | unfinished object | Makers' short forms |
| FO | finished object | Makers' short forms |
| frog | to rip out stitches | Makers' short forms |
- US terms. A stitch whose name is its whole meaning is given by name alone.
- Every abbreviation here but the last four is on the standard list and in one or more other published lists we read. 13 that only the standard list gives are left out until a second list has them.
- The Tunisian abbreviations are listed so that you can recognize them. How to work them is not covered here.
- The last four rows are not on the standard list. They are short forms that makers use when they talk about their work, each given with the same meaning by two of the lists we read.
How it works
- Read your pattern's own list of abbreviations first. A designer may use a special abbreviation that is on no standard list, and its meaning is usually given at the start of the pattern or the book.
- These are US terms. In a UK pattern dc, tr and dtr each mean a different, shorter stitch than they do here.
- The Tunisian abbreviations belong to Tunisian crochet, which is worked on a long hook with many loops held at once. They are listed so that you can recognize them; this site does not yet teach those stitches.
Worked examples
- What does sc mean in crochet?
- Single crochet. A UK pattern calls the same stitch double crochet.
- What does hdc mean?
- Half double crochet.
- What does sc2tog mean?
- Single crochet 2 stitches together: a decrease that turns two stitches into one.
- What does sk mean?
- Skip: pass over the next stitch or stitches without working into them.
- What does an asterisk mean in a pattern?
- Repeat what follows the asterisk as the pattern directs.
Questions
- What does ttr mean?
- In the standard list ttr is Tunisian treble crochet. In other patterns ttr is also written for triple treble, the UK name of the stitch US terms call double treble crochet (dtr). Read the pattern's own list to see which is meant.
- What is the difference between BLO and FLO?
- BLO is back loop only and FLO is front loop only. A stitch is usually worked under both loops at the top of the stitch below; these tell you to work under just one, the loop farther from you or the loop nearer to you.
- What does ch-3 sp mean?
- The space made by a chain of 3 in the row or round before. Written with a hyphen, ch- points back to a chain that is already there, and sp is a space.
- What do WIP, UFO and FO mean?
- They are makers' short forms, not stitches: WIP is work in progress, UFO is unfinished object and FO is finished object. One of the lists we read writes fo for fasten off, so in a pattern go by its own list of abbreviations.