🧙♀️ Sooo… you’ve found the perfect crochet pattern. It’s got that gorgeous texture, the cutest shape, and it’s calling your name like a yarn siren. You’re ready to grab your hook and get started — but wait! 😱 It's in German. Or maybe French. Or written in that mysterious crochet dialect that sounds like English, but... not quite (looking at you, US vs UK terms 🙃).
Don’t worry, my fellow crochet witch 🧹 — I’ve got your back!
In this post, I’ve brewed up a magical guide to help you decode crochet patterns in different languages. Whether you’ve stumbled upon a charming Polish pattern 🧵, a classy French one 🇫🇷, a cosy German project 🇩🇪, or you're just trying to figure out if a DC is really a DC (or is it a TR?!), you’ll find everything you need right here.
Below, you’ll find spellbinding tables ✨ that translate the most common crochet abbreviations and terms in five languages:
🇺🇸 American (US)
🇬🇧 British (UK)
🇵🇱 Polish
🇩🇪 German
🇫🇷 French
🧶✨ Basic Crochet Terms (US Version) – Explained Simply ✨🧶
Welcome to the magical world of crochet! If you're just starting out, some of the terms and abbreviations can look like a secret code. Don't worry — I've broken them down into simple words, so you can feel confident reading any pattern. Grab your yarn and let’s unravel these mysteries together! 🧙♀️🧵
st – stitch
This is just one loop or knot in your crochet fabric. Every time you crochet, you’re making stitches. Think of them as the building blocks of your project — one stitch at a time builds something beautiful!
r – row/round
If you're working back and forth in a straight line, you’re making rows. If you're going in circles (for things like hats or mandalas), you're doing rounds. Patterns will say “r1, r2”, etc., to show which row or round you’re on.
ch – chain
The chain is usually your starting point — it’s like laying the foundation of a house 🏠. You make a chain by looping yarn through the last loop. Easy-peasy!
Chains are also used to make your stitches taller at the beginning of a row (the taller the stitch, the more chains you’ll need at the start). And sometimes they help shape the design too.
sp – space
This means the empty spot between stitches or under a chain where you’ll stick your hook in. It’s like finding a parking space — you need to know where to put your hook next! 🚗😄
inc – increase
Want more stitches? Work two stitches in the same spot instead of one. Ta-da! You’ve increased. (If a pattern says “2sc,” it means do 2 single crochet stitches in the same stitch.)
dec – decrease
Time to shrink things a bit! You’ll crochet two stitches together to turn them into just one. It’s like crocheting on a little diet. 🥦😉 This makes your piece narrower or gives it shape.
sk – skip
If a pattern says “skip the next stitch,” it just means — don’t crochet into it. Hop over it like a little bunny 🐇 and move to the next one!
sl st – slip stitch
The tiniest, sneakiest stitch. You pop your hook in, yarn over, and pull it straight through everything in one go. It’s often used to join rounds or move your hook to a new spot without adding height.
sc – single crochet
This is one of the simplest and most-used stitches. Just hook in, yarn over, pull through, yarn over again, and pull through both loops. Done! Perfect for beginners. 👶🧶
hdc – half double crochet
This stitch is taller than a single, but not as tall as a double. Yarn over first, go in, pull through, then yarn over and pull through all three loops on the hook. Halfway to fancy!
dc – double crochet
Yarn over, go in, pull through. Now you have 3 loops. Yarn over again and pull through 2 loops, then yarn over one more time and pull through the last 2. Voila! A nice, tall stitch.
tr – treble (or triple) crochet
Feeling adventurous? Yarn over twice before you even start! Then hook in, pull through, and work in stages, always pulling through 2 loops at a time until only one loop is left. Very tall and elegant, stitch-like high heels for your yarn. 👠😄
dtr – double treble crochet
Yarn over three times, then go in and work just like the treble: keep pulling through 2 loops at a time. The more yarn overs, the taller the stitch!
trtr – triple treble
Yarn over four times. Same dance: in, pull through, and keep going two loops at a time. Super tall. Great for dramatic flair! 🎭✨
quad tr – quadruple treble
Yarn over five times. You’re basically doing sky-high crochet now. Use it when your pattern calls for something really loooong.
quintr – quintuple treble
Yarn over six times before inserting your hook — yes, SIX! Perfect for when your stitch wants to touch the sky ☁️🌈
🔮 Pro tip: The more yarn overs you do, the taller the stitch gets! But don’t worry — these super tall ones don’t pop up often unless you’re doing something super decorative or lacy.
Of course, there are loads more crochet stitches out there (seriously, it's like a secret crochet universe 🌌), but these are the ones you’ll see popping up in most patterns — especially if you're just starting out. And guess what? Even the fancy-schmancy, super-decorative stitches are usually made by mixing and matching these basics. So once you’ve got these down, you’re already halfway to becoming a crochet wizard 🧙♀️🪄.
I really hope this little guide helped untangle the mystery of crochet terms! If it did, let me know — I’d absolutely love to hear from you! 💬🧶 Drop a comment below and say hi 👋 or tell me what you’re working on. Let’s spread some yarny magic together!
📌 Pin it for later, so you don’t forget where all the magic lives! 🧙♀️🧵✨
Happy hooking,
Kasia @ Cosy Stitch Spell 🪄💛
C2C Crochet Guide PDF – Step-by-Step Corner to Corner Tutorial for Beginners (in English)
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