The crochet pattern abbreviations you need to know

Crochet is a wonderful craft that allows you to create beautiful and unique pieces of clothing, accessories, and home decor from yarn and wool. However, if you're new to the world of crochet, you may find yourself overwhelmed by the many crochet abbreviations used in patterns.

It can seem like a foreign language (especially for beginner crocheters) but don't let it put you off trying out new patterns and projects. Once you understand how crochet abbreviations work and some of the most common terms used, you'll be stitching up a storm in no time!

Crochet patterns are written using abbreviations to save space and make the instructions easier to read. If a pattern were written out in full, it would take up a lot of space and be difficult to follow – using abbreviations make patterns more concise and easier to understand.

Also, having a standardised ‘language’ means that crocheters from all over the world can share patterns and tutorials without any confusion or misinterpretation.

While learning the abbreviations may seem daunting at first, it is an essential part of becoming a skilled crocheter. Once you become familiar with the most common terms, reading and following crochet patterns will become second nature.

In this guide, we'll explore some of the most common crochet abbreviations and what they mean, so you can start your crochet journey with confidence.

Crochet pattern abbreviations can vary slightly between countries, we've covered the UK version of crochet abbreviations here. Once you understand the basics, you can piece together crochet pattern instructions easily and follow the steps to create your project.

alt: alternate

approx: approximately

beg: begin/beginning

bet: between

bo: bobble

CC: contrasting color

ch: chain stitch

ch-sp: chain space

CL: cluster

cont: continue

dc: double crochet

dc2tog: double crochet 2 stitches together

dec: decrease

dtr: double treble crochet

foll: following

hdc: half double crochet

hdc2tog: half double crochet 2 stitches together

inc: increase

lp: loop

m: marker

MC: main color

pat or part: pattern

PC: popcorn stitch

pm: place marker

prev: previous

ps or puff: puff stitch

rem: remaining

rep: repeat

rnd: round

RS: right side

sc: single crochet

sc2tog: single crochet 2 stitches together

sh: shell

sk: skip/miss

ss: slip stitch

sm or sl m: slip marker

sp: space

st: stitch

tbl: through back loop

tch or t-ch: turning chain

tog: together

tr: treble crochet

tr2tog: treble crochet 2 stitches together

trtr: triple treble crochet

WS: wrong side

yo: yarn over

yoh: yarn over hook

" or in: Inches

() or {} or [ ]: work instructions between brackets/parentheses as many times as directed

* : repeat instruction from the single asterisk

**: repeat instruction from the double asterisk

Tunisian crochet is a style or technique of needlework that is a hybrid mix of both crochet and knitting. It's also sometimes know as Afghan crochet and involves holding multiple loops on your hook (like knitting) but you work the loops with a crochet style hook. Tunisian crochet produces a firm, waffle-like fabric with a neat border and is perfect for cold weather projects that need a denser finish.

etss: extended Tunisian simple stitch

FwP: forward pass

RetP: return pass

tdc: Tunisian double crochet

tfs: Tunisian full stitch

thdc: Tunisian half double crochet

tks: Tunisian knit stitch

tps: Tunisian purl stitch

trs: Tunisian reverse stitch

tsc: Tunisian single crochet

tss: Tunisian simple stitch

tslst: Tunisian slip stitch

ttr: Tunisian treble crochet

ttw: Tunisian twisted

Have you got into crochet? Share your creations with us by tagging @primamag on Instagram!

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