Free Crochet Abbreviations Chart
Every crochet pattern is written in shorthand, and once you know the shorthand, patterns stop feeling like a foreign language. This free one-page cheat sheet gives you every standard US crochet abbreviation, the US versus UK terms that quietly trip up beginners, and a quick guide to reading a stitch chart. Print it, keep it in your project bag, and never lose your place in a pattern again.
What is on the cheat sheet
- All the everyday US abbreviations: ch, sl st, sc, hdc, dc, tr, dtr, and the shorthand like st(s), yo, sk, rep, inc, and dec.
- What brackets, parentheses, and asterisks mean, so a line like "(2 dc, ch 1) twice" makes instant sense.
- A full US to UK conversion table, including the one abbreviation that means a different stitch in each system.
- How to read a stitch chart at a glance, using the number of slashes on each symbol.
The US versus UK trap, in one table
This is the single most common reason a beginner's project comes out wrong: the same words describe different stitches on each side of the Atlantic. The names shift by one height.
| If a US pattern says | A UK pattern calls it |
|---|---|
| single crochet (sc) | double crochet (dc) |
| half double crochet (hdc) | half treble (htr) |
| double crochet (dc) | treble (tr) |
| treble crochet (tr) | double treble (dtr) |
| gauge | tension |
Quick tell: if a pattern uses "sc" or the word "gauge," it is written in US terms. If it uses "tension" and never mentions single crochet, it is UK. The full sheet has the complete table plus a clear note on the "dc" collision.
Get the printable cheat sheet, free
Enter your email and we will send you the complete one-page PDF: the full US abbreviation list, the brackets and asterisks guide, the US to UK conversion table, and the stitch-chart symbols, all in one place you can print and keep.
How to read a stitch chart
Charts look intimidating until you spot the pattern: the taller the stitch, the more slashes it has across its vertical stem, and the number of slashes matches the number of yarn overs. A chain is an open oval, a slip stitch is a filled dot, and a single crochet is a small cross. A half double crochet is a plain T, a double crochet adds one slash, a treble has two, and a double treble has three. The cheat sheet lays all of these out together so you can match a symbol to its stitch in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the cheat sheet really free?
- Yes. The printable PDF is free when you enter your email above. You can unsubscribe any time.
- Are the abbreviations US or UK?
- The main list is US terms, which is what most patterns you will find online use, and the sheet includes a full US to UK conversion table so you can work from either.
- I am a complete beginner. Will this make sense?
- Yes. That is exactly who it is for. If you would like a walkthrough of how a written pattern is structured, read our guide on how to read a crochet pattern alongside the sheet.
- Where can I find patterns to practice on?
- Start with our free granny square pattern for beginners or our free crochet flower pattern, or browse the whole free crochet pattern library.