🧶 The Ultimate Guide to Crochet Terms (With Definitions & Abbreviations)

Whether you’re a beginner just picking up a hook or an experienced stitcher decoding a new pattern, understanding crochet terms is essential. Crochet patterns are often written in shorthand or abbreviations—and while they may look like a secret code at first, don’t worry! You’ll be fluent in crochet-speak in no time.

Let’s break it down stitch by stitch! 👇

✨ Crochet Terms & Abbreviations (US Terms)

Note: This list uses U.S. crochet terms. UK terms are different—more on that below!

Basic crochet stitches

Directions and Techniques

Placement terms

Measurement and Placement terms.

🌍 US vs UK Crochet Terms

Here’s where it gets tricky—US and UK terms use the same names for stitches, but they mean different things. Always check the pattern’s origin.

US vs UK Terms

✂️ Yarn-Related Terms

Yarn Terms

🧠 Pro Tip: Print This as a Cheat Sheet!

Learning to read crochet patterns takes time—but once you master the lingo, a whole world of creative projects opens up. Print the cheat sheet here!