US and UK crochet terms
Type an abbreviation as it's written in your pattern. You'll see the same stitch in the other system, and in German.
In short, UK terms give each basic stitch the name of the next one up. US single crochet (sc) is UK double crochet (dc), and US double crochet (dc) is UK treble (tr).
Look up a term
All crochet terms, US and UK
Crochet
| US terms | UK terms | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| single crochet sc | double crochet dc | The shortest basic crochet stitch. Pull up a loop through the stitch, then wrap and pull through both loops on the hook. |
| half double crochet hdc | half treble htr | A stitch between single and double crochet in height. Wrap once, pull up a loop, then wrap and pull through all three loops at once. |
| double crochet dc | treble tr | A tall basic stitch. Wrap once, pull up a loop, then work off the loops two at a time, twice. |
| treble crochet (also triple crochet) tr | double treble dtr | Taller than double crochet. Wrap twice, pull up a loop, then work off the loops two at a time, three times. |
| double treble crochet dtr | triple treble trtr | Wrap three times, pull up a loop, then work off the loops two at a time, four times. |
| triple treble crochet trtr | quadruple treble | Wrap four times before inserting the hook, then work off the loops two at a time, five times. |
| single crochet 2 together sc2tog | double crochet 2 together dc2tog | Decrease. Pull up a loop in each of the next two stitches, then wrap and pull through all loops, so two stitches become one. |
| double crochet 2 together dc2tog | treble 2 together tr2tog | Decrease. Work two double crochets up to their last step, then wrap and pull through all loops so they join at the top. |
| front post double crochet FPdc | raised treble front RtrF, rtrf | A double crochet worked around the post (the upright body) of the stitch below, entering from the front. It raises the stitch on the front and is used for ribbing and cables. |
| back post double crochet BPdc | raised treble back RtrB, rtrb | A double crochet worked around the post of the stitch below, entering from the back. It pushes the stitch to the back. |
| skip sk | miss | Leave the next stitch unworked and work into the one after it. |
| yarn over yo | yarn over hook (also yarn round hook) yoh, yrh | Wrap the yarn over the hook from back to front, ready to pull it through. |
| chain ch | chain ch | The basic loop-through-loop stitch. A row of chains is the usual starting row, and chains also make gaps and turning height. |
| slip stitch sl st, slst | slip stitch ss, sl st | The flattest stitch. Insert the hook, wrap, and pull straight through the stitch and the loop on the hook. Used to join rounds and to move along without adding height. |
| chain space ch-sp, ch sp, chsp | chain space ch-sp, ch sp, chsp | The gap under one or more chains of an earlier row. 'Work into the ch-sp' means put the hook into the gap, not into a chain. |
| turning chain tch, t-ch | turning chain tch, t-ch | Chains made at the start of a row or round to bring the hook up to the height of the new stitches. The pattern says whether it counts as a stitch. |
| magic ring (also magic circle, adjustable ring) MR | magic ring (also magic circle, adjustable ring) MR | A start for work in the round: stitches are worked over a loop of the yarn tail, then the tail is pulled to close the centre. |
| back loop only BLO, BL | back loop only BLO, BL | Work into only the back loop at the top of the stitch, which leaves a ridge on the front. |
| front loop only FLO, FL | front loop only FLO, FL | Work into only the front loop at the top of the stitch. |
| front post FP | front post FP | Work the stitch around the post of the stitch below, entering from the front. Combined with a stitch name, for example FPdc. |
| back post BP | back post BP | Work the stitch around the post of the stitch below, entering from the back. |
| cluster CL, cl | cluster CL, cl | Several part-finished stitches joined at the top into one. The pattern defines how many and which stitch. |
| puff stitch ps, puff | puff stitch ps, puff | Several loops pulled up in the same stitch to the same height, then closed together. It makes a soft, rounded bump. |
| popcorn pc | popcorn pc | A group of complete stitches in one stitch, folded closed at the top so it pops out from the fabric. |
| bobble bo, BO | bobble bo, BO | Several part-finished stitches worked into one stitch and closed together, so a round bump stands out from the fabric. |
| shell sh | shell sh | Several stitches worked into the same stitch or space so they fan out. |
| picot p, pic | picot p, pic | A small loop of chains closed back on itself, used as a decorative point on edges. |
| invisible decrease invdec | invisible decrease invdec | An amigurumi decrease worked through the front loops of two stitches, so the decrease hardly shows. |
| amigurumi | amigurumi | Small stuffed toys, usually crocheted tightly in spiral rounds of single crochet (US terms). |
| loop stitch lp st, lpst | loop stitch lp st, lpst | A stitch that leaves a long loop of yarn on the back of the work, for fur or fringe textures. |
| skein (ball, hank) sk | skein (ball, hank) sk | A wound unit of yarn as sold. A hank is a loose twisted loop that is wound into a ball before use. |
| crochet hook (and hook size) | crochet hook (and hook size) | Hooks are sized by shaft diameter in millimetres. US hooks also carry a letter and number (for example G-6 = 4 mm). Letters vary by maker, so the mm size is the one to trust. |
| steel hook (thread hook) | steel hook (thread hook) | Small hooks for thread. Their numbers run backwards: a higher number is a smaller hook. |
Knitting: the same stitches, a few different words
| US terms | UK terms |
|---|---|
| bind off BO | cast off BO |
| stockinette stitch St st, st st | stocking stitch st st, s/s |
| reverse stockinette stitch rev St st | reverse stocking stitch rev St st |
| seed stitch | moss stitch |
| moss stitch | double moss stitch |
| main color MC | main colour MC |
| contrasting color CC | contrast colour CC |
| gauge | tension |
| work even | work straight |
Nothing in the table matches.
Definitions are our own words, checked against the Craft Yarn Council and other sources. We keep checking and adding to it.
How to tell which terms a pattern uses
Look for sc or hdc: they only exist in US terms. htr and miss only exist in UK terms. Many patterns say it near the top, for example “written in US terms”. Patterns from Australia and New Zealand usually use UK terms.
Why the same name means two stitches
Both systems use the words double and treble, for stitches one step apart in height. So a UK pattern worked with US stitches comes out taller and looser, and nothing in the instructions looks wrong. That's why every stitch name in the app says US or UK.
Sources
- Craft Yarn Council: Crochet Abbreviations Master List, incl. Abbreviation & Term Differences between the U.S., U.K. and Canada (opened October 28, 2026)
- Jo to the World (designer Jo Ringer): UK vs US Crochet Terms (opened October 28, 2026)
See this in your own pattern
In the app, tap any abbreviation on the page to see what it means, in US or UK terms and in your language.