Quick Reference Chart
Crochet Terms and Abbreviations
along with some basic how-to-do-its
This page is a Quick Reference Chart. If you need a little more help there is a tutorial explanation of the basic crochet stitches. This is Page One and is all the beginner's and easy stitches and basic abbreviations that you need to know. For your practice pieces, use Knitting Worsted with Crochet Hook, Size H.
Basic Stitches
| ch | chain |
 yarn over hook (yo) hook (hk) and pull loop (lp) through loop that is already on hook |
| sc | single crochet |
 insert hook (hk) into stitch (st) or chain (ch), pull loop () through st, yo, pull that lp through both lps on hk |
| dc | double crochet |  yarn over (yo), insert hook (hk) into stitch (st) or chain (ch), pull up a loop (lp), (yo, pull lp through 2 lps on hk) twice |
| hdc | half double crochet |
yarn over (yo), insert hook (hk) into stitch (st) or chain (ch), pull up a loop (lp), yarn over (yo), pull that lp through all 3 lps on hk |
| tr | treble crochet |
 yo twice, insert hook
into st, pull up a lp,( yo, through 2 lps on hk)3 times. |
| htr | half treble | There are patterns using this stitch; it is an excellent way to providing a smoother height adjustment from one dc to a tr in crochet work. In other words you have a shell variation of (2 dc, 3 tr, 2 dc) in same sp. Doing one htr on each side of the tr make for a smoother looking shell. Try it and see. Doing a htr is the same procedure for a hdc on a tr stitch. |
| dtr | double treble crochet |
 yo 3 times insert hook
into st, pull up a lp,( yo, through 2 lps on hk)4 times. |
| tr tr |
triple treble crochet | yo 4 times insert hook into st, pull up a lp,( yo, through 2 lps on hk)5 times. |
| sl st |
slip stitch |  insert
hook into stitch, yo and pull loop through loop on hook |
| p |
picot |
Another way is when doing a number of ch sts from another st (such as dc or sc or similar) you would insert hook in 3rd st from hook; this is the basic number of chain for a picot; everything else is a variation and so noted in patterns as to how many chain.( a beginner may find it easier to make a sc instead of a slip st.) When doing picots it is nice to know (though nobody has ever taught this that I know of) to anchor your picot into the st you chained off of if you want the picot to line up right over the stitch. If you want the picot to stand off the stitch to the side then sl st into the chain. The picot will line up over the middle of the two stitches. Picots do not have to be three or four ch long the can be 2 ch long ( or 5) and this would be better for some designs. more on picots |
Terms in Crochet
| st(s) | stitch(es) | ch, sc, dc, etc. |
| lp(s) | loop(s) | Made by a length of chain sts and is 3 or more ch long. |
| sp(s) | space(s) | The space made by a chain stitch surrounded by another kind of stitch such as sc, dc, etc. and is, generally, no more than 2 ch long. |
| beg | beginning | Beginning of row or first stitch or chain made. |
| rep | repeat | Repeat instructions as indicated in pattern. Usually there is a symbol (i.e. *, ( ), or [ ].) but can also mean to repeat set of instructions from the beg of row to where the rep phrase is. |
pat rep |
pattern repeat |
This is shorthand for a set of combined stitches that complete a pattern and is repeated so many times per row according to the pattern. It has not been used much but I like to use it at times. |
| work even | Work same kind of stitch per stitch; i.e. first row was all sc, work this row same number of sc. | |
| work even in pattern | Same as above but work same pattern set of stitches across row. | |
| * | asterisk | Repeat set of instructions from first * to the rep (repeat) phrase; sometimes comes with a number of times to repeat. There used to be a 'dagger' that was used in conjunction with the * for rep a series of sts like we use ( ) and [ ] |
| ( )&/or [ ] | parenthesis &/or brackets | Repeat set of instructions between parenthesis as instructions indicate. This is good to have parenthesis for sts in same st or lp or sp and bracket for series of sts over many sts of row or when needed include a set that is already in ( ) to make up a pattern rep. |
| hk | hook | Just the abbreviation for crochet hook |
| b-lp | back loop | The front and back loops are determined by, and
relative to, whichever side is facing you. back loop of the two top loops you crochet in plus the one in back of the stitch near the top of each stitch. You can skip that loop in the back of the stitch, this is done without a problem but there are times when you may want a little more stability to the stitch because it can stretch out some. |
| f-lp | front loop | The front and back loops are determined by, and
relative to, whichever side is facing you. front loop of the two top loops you crochet in of each stitch. |
| sp-xxx |
split xxx |
The xxx represents a st like a dc or tr cluster. When this term is used it is because a normally worked cluster or shell st is worked in the same st or sp. This term is used when the st is split up to work over two or more spaces or stitches. |
| multiples |
When this term is used it
refers to how many stitches it takes to make a design repeat. Like when
a shell is used it is normally used in conjunction with a sc so many
sts over. i.e. *shell in next st, sk 2, sc in next st, sk 2 sts, rep from *... so that you will need 1 st for the shell, 2 sts that are skipped and 1 st for the sc, and 2 more sts for the sk sts after the sc. This makes a total of 6 sts that are needed for each design repeat of the row. When there is a + with a number after it this is the amount of sts required to make the pattern come out right at the end of the row. This number is counted only once per row. So... if you have so-many stitches and you are not sure that you have enough to make the design come out right (or you didn't come out correctly and need to know why) you take the sts of the row to be worked on (or the beg ch) and divide by 6 (in this case)and see if there is enough left over for the number after the plus. If not you will have to adjust from there. |
|
| next st |
When the notation of next st shows up in the directions (which it will quite frequently), it refers to the very next stitch to the left of the finished st you just made. |
Methods in Crochet
turning a row |
If you are doing a hdc, dc or larger stitch the amount to chain for that stitch is listed in the section below. When you do this you count that chain as the stitch and do not do another stitch in that same spot. When you get to the end of the row that chain will somehow disappear into the never never land of end sts and you will have to poke to find it. That 'stitch' must be used or your work will "shrink" over the next few rows till you discover this. Then you will be doing the now famous "rip-it, rip-it pattern." You can also turn a row laterally so that the hook can be inserted into a space/loop and worked as part of the design. This is done more in old patterns and in Irish crochet techniques. |
| amount of sts needed for turning the row. | sc - ch 1 hdc - ch 2 dc - ch 3 tr - ch 4 dtr - ch 5 tr tr - ch 6 |
| join(ing) thread |
Working over the new thread/yarn work to the last st to the last 2 lps on hk, pull up a lp with the new thread through those last 2 lps on hk leaving a tail long (about 2-4") enough to work over on the next row; continue working but work over old thread for several stitches. Cut the old thread if necessary, then continue on working in pattern crocheting over the ends of thread/yarn. - or -Tie square knot in the end of thread and cover over knot as you crochet. |
| join(ing) to form a ring |
|
| join(ing) motifs |
When joining motifs it is important to drop the lp that is on your hk, and pick up the st on the the motif being joined to. Also note that when you pick up the 'new' stitch you go in from the back or underside of it pick up the 'old' loop and pull that lp through the stitch on hook. |
| fasten off |
after you have joined the last st to the first st, cut the thread and pull thread/yarn through the top of the stitch all the way. You want to leave enough thread/yarn to thread a blunt tapestry needle and thread or weave thread/yarn though the inside of the stitches to conceal thread/yarn |
| break off | When this term is used it implies that you just cut the thread and proceed with instructions. This notation was used in place of fasten off and meant the same thing, however fasten off sounds more appropriate and was then adopted. Essentially you would do the same thing as fasten off. |
| drop | When this term is used you do not break off the thread but bring up the new color or loop in the very last part of the stitch preceding this instruction. You can either carry it along or leave it to pick up on the 'next' row according to instructions. When joining motifs or working the popcorn st, you will have to drop the loop on hook and pick up a specified loop and then pick up the dropped loop and bring it through the loop on hook. |
| joining squares or motifs by sewing |
|
| joining squares or motifs by crocheting |
There are basically two methods for joining motifs together; there's a chain method and then there's the picot. Both require you to drop loop from hook and pick up the other motif slipping the hook into the corresponding stitch and pick up the dropped loop and bring it through the stitch on hook. Your pattern will tell you which method to use. |
The instruction turn means to turn your work so that you can work back over the row you just finished. When you get to the turn there is usually a ch x amount of sts before this instruction; you need to chain so many sts to begin the
next row, which is indicated, usually, in the pattern. This diagram
shows the work in progress, done in sc, turned and ready to insert hook
into the first sc of the new row. The inset show the hook going into
the stitch under the two top threads of the sc stitch.
Insert
hook from the front through the two top threads of st, yo (fig.
F) and with one motion, draw through st and loop on hook (fig. G). You
should have just one loop on hook to continue one with.
Place two
motifs wrong sides together. With a threaded tapestry (blunt, large
eyed) needle, find the corner. This is generally ch 2 of a ch-3 corner.
then through the back-side lps, bring yarn through one lp of each motif
almost to the end leaving enough so that when you tie the yarn together
in a small knot you can sew over this end to conceal it; continue whip
stitching the back lps of each motif together, matching corresponding
lps.