Crochet Stitch Chart
A handy list of crochet stitch short forms and abbreviations. Some pattern symbols are included. Easily read and follow crochet patterns. Free stitch chart available for download.
Hi everyone!
What is a crochet abbreviation? An abbreviation is a condensed form of a word or phrase, so a crochet abbreviation is simply the short form of a crochet term.
For example, when reading a pattern, you’ll see “chain 1, single crochet” but you can also see “ch 1, sc.”
Abbreviations shorten crochet stitches to make writing and reading patterns easier. Short forms for crochet stitches are used all the time. It doesn’t matter if you follow the US or the UK terms. Basic stitches are the foundation of crochet, and you’ll see them in every crochet pattern you work with.
Specialty crochet stitches aren’t used as commonly as the basic ones, but it’s good to know what they are because you’ll be using them once you move forward with more intermediate patterns. This is especially true when crocheting amigurumi shapes, lacework, edging, and more.
Once you know these short forms, that’s all there is to reading crochet patterns! If you have this down, you can start writing crochet patterns.
Crochet Stitch Chart
The list below divides crochet stitches into two types: Basic and Specialty. These crochet stitches are mainly US terms, but some UK terms are sprinkled in. If you want to know more about US and UK crochet terms, you can find an explanation here.
Basic Stitches:
alt - alternate
beg - beginning
bet - between
BL - back loop
BP - back post
CAL - crochet along
ch - chain
ch sp - chain space
cont - continue
CTY - cut the yarn
dc - double crochet
dec - decrease (crochet 2 stitches together)
ea - each
F/O or FO - fasten off
FL - front loop
FP - front post
Frog/Frogging - Unravel your work
hdc - half double crochet
hk - hook
in - inch
inc - increase (2 sc in one stitch)
inst - instructions
lp - loop
MC - magic circle/main color
mm - millimeter
mr - magic ring
pm - place marker
prev - previous
rem - remaining
rep - repeat
rnd(s) - round(s)
RS - right side
sc - single crochet
sctog - single crochet together (sc2tog in another way to word decrease)
sk - skip
sp - space
ss or sl st- slip stitch
st(s) - stitch(es)
tog - together
trc - treble crochet (can also be known as triple crochet)
WIP - work in progress
WS - wrong side
Y/O or YO - yarn over
Specialty Stitches:
BLO - back loop only
bo - bobble
BPDC - back post double crochet
cl - cluster
FLO - front loop only
FPDC - front post double crochet
pc st - popcorn stitch
puff - puff st
shell - shell stitch
WYIB - with yarn in back
WYIF - with yarn in front
Symbols:
* - use to mark the beginning of a sequence you wish to repeat
Example: * 2 sc, inc. Rep from * around. (used heavily in my patterns)
( ) - brackets are used to distinguish a group of stitches to be worked in one stitch, space, or loop.
Example: 2 sc, (2 hdc, 3 dc, 2 hdc) in next st.
Here is a quick guide to get you started! Keep in mind that there may be some variations out there. Abbreviations were created to make instructions easier to read and crochet stitches faster to write. It may take some time to learn, but it soon becomes second nature.