US and UK Crochet Terms
Did you know there is a difference between US and UK crochet terms? This language gap could really cause problems for an unsuspecting crocheter. Here’s how to spot the difference, plus a handy conversion chart!
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US to UK crochet terms conversion chart
| US crochet term | UK crochet term |
|---|---|
| Yarn Over (yo) | Yarn over hook (yoh) |
| Chain (ch) | Chain (ch) |
| Slip Stitch (sl st) | Slip Stitch (sl st) |
| Single Crochet (sc) | Double Crochet (dc) |
| Half Double Crochet (hdc) | Half Treble (htr) |
| Double Crochet (dc) | Treble (tr) |
| Treble Crochet (tr) | Double Treble (dtr) |
| Double Treble Crochet (dtr) | Triple Treble (trtr) |
| Front Post Double Crochet (fpdc) | Raised Treble Front (rtrf) |
| Back Post Double Crochet (bpdc) | Raised Treble Back (rtrb) |
| Skip | Miss |
| Guage | Tension |
Which crochet terms does your pattern use?
So how do you know whether a given pattern uses US or UK crochet terms?
Check the pattern info
Always read the introductory information on a pattern before jumping in to crochet it. Many patterns specify explicitly whether they use US or UK terms. You’ll often find this statement near the abbreviations list or in the pattern notes.
Look for unique terms
If it’s not specified anywhere in the pattern, look for terms that are unique to one language or the other. Terms like “miss” or “htr” are a great indication that you’re looking at a pattern written in UK terms. If you see “skip” or “hdc”, that’s likely to be US terms.
Make a swatch
If you’re still not sure, try working up a small swatch. A swatch that is way off the gauge specified in the pattern, or which does not match the look of the pattern stitch, may be an indication that you are using the wrong stitches.
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2 Comments
ukcrochetpatterns
Had the very same issue when I started too! Very confusing but it gave birth to our blog, which seems to hit the spot with lots of other people – you are not alone! :>
piathadani
When I first saw mention of translating patterns, I figured they were just talking about the whole inches to cm thing, hook sizes, yarn weights, etc…not the actual pattern stitches themselves.