Crochet Terms and Abbreviations Explained: UK vs US

If you’ve ever picked up a crochet pattern and felt completely lost — even though you’ve been crocheting for years — there’s a good chance you were reading a pattern written in a different regional convention than the one you learned. The UK and the US both have well-established crochet traditions, and both use abbreviations and terminology that feel perfectly logical within their own systems. The problem is that several of the most common stitches share the same name but refer to entirely different things depending on which side of the Atlantic the pattern was written on.

This guide breaks everything down clearly: what the differences are, which stitches are affected, how to spot which convention a pattern is using, and how to convert between the two without losing your place — or your mind.

Why Do UK and US Crochet Terms Differ?

The short answer is history. Crochet developed and spread across Europe and North America largely through word of mouth, handwritten instructions, and eventually printed pamphlets. Before the internet standardised so much of our shared knowledge, regional conventions took hold independently. By the time the global crochet community began comparing notes in earnest, two distinct systems were already deeply embedded in print culture.

Neither system is wrong. They’re simply two parallel traditions that evolved separately. The confusion arises specifically because the terminology overlaps — the UK and US use some of the same words to describe different stitches, which is far more disorienting than if they had used completely different vocabulary from the start.

Today, with the explosion of free patterns shared online from designers all over the world, knowing how to navigate both systems isn’t a niche skill for serious crocheters. It’s an essential part of reading patterns at all.

The Golden Rule: Always Check Your Pattern’s Origin

Before you even read the first row of a pattern, check where it comes from. A pattern from a UK-based designer, a British crochet magazine, or a European yarn brand is almost certainly written in UK terms. A pattern from a US-based designer, an American craft publication, or a major US yarn company like Lion Brand or Red Heart will be in US terms.

Many modern patterns — especially those sold on platforms like Ravelry or Etsy — will explicitly state at the top whether they use UK or US terminology. If the pattern doesn’t say, look for clues. The presence of a “double crochet” (dc) as a common, everyday stitch is the biggest tell: in UK patterns, double crochet is a short, tight stitch used constantly, while in US patterns, double crochet is a taller stitch that sits a full step above the UK equivalent.

If you’re still unsure, look at the stitch heights described or any accompanying photos. The visual result will usually make it clear whether you’re working with the right interpretation.

The Master Conversion Chart: UK vs US Crochet Terms

Here is a comprehensive side-by-side comparison of all the major stitches and terms, starting with the most commonly confused and working through to the more advanced ones.

Slip Stitch
UK: slip stitch (ss) — US: slip stitch (sl st)
This is one of the happy exceptions. The slip stitch means the same thing in both systems. It’s the shortest of all crochet stitches and is used for joining rounds, moving yarn without adding height, and surface decoration.

Chain
UK: chain (ch) — US: chain (ch)
Another point of agreement. The chain stitch is universal, and the abbreviation is identical. You can relax on this one.

Double Crochet
UK: double crochet (dc) — US: single crochet (sc)
This is the most important conversion to memorise, and the source of the most confusion. The UK double crochet is a compact, low stitch worked by inserting the hook, pulling up a loop, and drawing through both loops in one step. The US calls this exact same stitch a single crochet. If you’re following a UK pattern that says “dc” and you work a US double crochet instead, you’ll end up with a fabric that is twice the height it should be.

Half Treble Crochet
UK: half treble crochet (htr) — US: half double crochet (hdc)
The stitch is identical — yarn over, insert hook, pull up a loop, then draw through all three loops on the hook. In the UK it’s called a half treble; in the US it’s called a half double. The logic reflects the different naming conventions of each system (as you’ll start to see, the UK uses “treble” where the US uses “double,” and shifts each stitch name up accordingly).

Treble Crochet
UK: treble crochet (tr) — US: double crochet (dc)
This is the second-most important conversion to know. The UK treble crochet and the US double crochet are exactly the same stitch: yarn over, insert hook, pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through two loops, yarn over and pull through the remaining two loops. It’s the workhorse tall stitch of most crochet projects. If a US pattern says “dc” and you’re working in UK terms, you need to work a treble.

Double Treble Crochet
UK: double treble (dtr) — US: treble crochet (tr)
Again, the same stitch described with different names. To work it: yarn over twice, insert hook, pull up a loop, then (yarn over, pull through two loops) three times. UK crocheters call it a double treble; US crocheters call it a treble.

Triple Treble Crochet
UK: triple treble (trtr or ttr) — US: double treble (dtr)
Yarn over three times, insert hook, pull up a loop, then (yarn over, pull through two loops) four times. This is a very tall, dramatic stitch used in lacy or openwork patterns, and again the two systems name it differently.

Quadruple Treble Crochet
UK: quadruple treble (quadtr) — US: triple treble (trtr)
The naming pattern continues upward. Yarn over four times, and work off loops in pairs to the end. These very tall stitches are less commonly encountered in everyday patterns but appear in intricate lacework and decorative edgings.

A Simple Way to Remember the Shift

If you find yourself needing to convert on the fly, here’s the rule that makes it easier: UK stitch names are generally one step “higher” in the naming ladder than their US equivalents, starting from double crochet upward.

UK double crochet = US single crochet
UK half treble = US half double crochet
UK treble = US double crochet
UK double treble = US treble crochet
UK triple treble = US double treble crochet

So if you’re converting a US pattern to UK terms, each stitch goes one name higher. If you’re converting a UK pattern to US terms, each stitch goes one name lower. The slip stitch and chain stay the same in both systems, so those never need converting.

Terms That Are the Same in Both Systems

Beyond chains and slip stitches, there are several other terms and techniques that use the same language regardless of which regional convention a pattern follows. Knowing these gives you a stable foundation as you work through any pattern.

Magic ring (or magic circle) is universal — it’s always the same adjustable loop technique used to begin working in the round. “Work in the round” and “join with a slip stitch” are also the same in both systems. Increases and decreases follow the same principles, even if the individual stitches involved are named differently. Post stitches (front post and back post variations) are named the same way. The terms “yarn over” (yo), “right side” (RS), “wrong side” (WS), “beginning chain” (beg ch), “stitch” (st), “stitch count,” and “repeat” are all consistent.

Cluster stitches, bobbles, puff stitches, and popcorns are also described in similar terms across both conventions, though how a pattern specifies the stitch being worked into the cluster will naturally use the regional stitch names.

Common Abbreviations Quick Reference

To make your pattern reading as smooth as possible, here’s a quick reference for the abbreviations you’ll encounter most frequently.

In UK patterns: ch (chain), ss (slip stitch), dc (double crochet), htr (half treble crochet), tr (treble crochet), dtr (double treble crochet), trtr (triple treble), sp (space), st (stitch), rep (repeat), beg (beginning), cont (continue), rem (remaining), RS (right side), WS (wrong side), yo (yarn over), pm (place marker), sm (slip marker).

In US patterns: ch (chain), sl st (slip stitch), sc (single crochet), hdc (half double crochet), dc (double crochet), tr (treble crochet), dtr (double treble crochet), trtr (triple treble), sp (space), st (stitch), rep (repeat), beg (beginning), cont (continue), rem (remaining), RS (right side), WS (wrong side), yo (yarn over), pm (place marker), sm (slip marker).

You’ll notice that once you get past the main stitch names, the rest of the shorthand aligns very closely, which helps a lot when you’re trying to follow the flow of a pattern.

Tension vs Gauge: A Terminology Note

In the UK, the test swatch section of a pattern is called a tension square. In the US, the same concept is called gauge. They mean exactly the same thing: working a small sample swatch before beginning your project so you can measure your stitch and row counts against the designer’s, then adjusting your hook size if necessary.

This is one of the more straightforward UK/US differences because the words are so distinct — there’s no risk of confusion once you know it exists. If a UK pattern says “tension: 18 sts and 20 rows to 10cm,” a US pattern would phrase this as “gauge: 18 sts and 20 rows = 4 inches.” Note the measurement difference too: UK patterns almost always use centimetres and grams, while US patterns typically use inches and ounces. If you’re working across conventions, you may need a quick conversion for measurements as well.

Yarn Weight Terminology

While not strictly a stitch-naming issue, yarn weight terminology can also vary between the UK and US, and it’s worth understanding as part of your overall pattern-reading toolkit.

What the US calls “worsted weight” yarn is sometimes described in UK terms as “Aran weight,” though these aren’t identical — Aran is slightly heavier than most worsted. The UK “double knitting” (DK) weight is the same as the US “light worsted” or simply “DK,” which has become standard internationally. “Sport weight” in the US corresponds closely to the UK “4-ply” or “sport.” Bulky and super bulky terminology tends to align fairly well, though the precise definitions can vary by manufacturer.

Most contemporary patterns will specify a yarn weight category using the Craft Yarn Council’s standardised numbering system (0 through 7), which is a useful reference point regardless of which regional convention the pattern uses for stitch names.

How to Convert a Pattern from One System to the Other

Converting a full pattern isn’t as daunting as it sounds once you understand the naming system. Here’s a practical approach.

First, read through the entire pattern before you begin and note every stitch abbreviation used. Make a small conversion key on a sticky note or index card — something like “dc = tr” if you’re converting from US to UK — and keep it beside you as you work.

Go row by row or round by round, mentally (or literally) substituting each stitch name as you encounter it. If you’re using a digital pattern, some crocheters find it helpful to do a find-and-replace in a text editor, swapping all instances of “dc” for “tr” and so on — just be careful to do this systematically to avoid accidentally altering other abbreviations.

Watch your stitch counts carefully as you go, especially on the first few rows. If something is going wrong, a misread stitch name is often the culprit. Comparing your work-in-progress to any photos in the pattern is a good sanity check at each stage.

Frequently Confused Scenarios

There are a few situations that trip up even experienced crocheters, so it’s worth addressing them directly.

When a UK pattern uses dc2tog, it means working two UK double crochets together as a decrease — equivalent to sc2tog in US terms. If you work a US dc2tog (which involves treble-height stitches) instead, your decrease will be in entirely the wrong stitch.

Similarly, when a UK pattern writes something like “1 dc into each of the next 5 sts,” a US crocheter needs to read this as “1 sc into each of the next 5 sts.” The rhythm and density of the fabric will be correct only if you use the right stitch for the system.

When patterns include stitch pattern names — such as “V-stitch,” “shell stitch,” or “Catherine wheel” — these names are generally consistent across both systems. The underlying stitches used to construct them are named according to the pattern’s regional convention, but the pattern structures themselves are universal.

Resources for Checking Which System a Pattern Uses

If a pattern doesn’t specify, a few reliable approaches can help you figure it out quickly. Check the designer’s website or social media bio for their country of origin. Look at the yarn brand recommended in the pattern — UK brands like Stylecraft, King Cole, or Paintbox Yarns almost always publish in UK terms; US brands like Lion Brand, Caron, or Red Heart use US terms. Check whether measurements are given in centimetres or inches.

You can also look at the stitch structure of the pattern. If a granny square pattern uses “3 tr” in each cluster to form its corners, and those clusters look like the standard tall granny square stitches you know, then “tr” is functioning as the US double crochet — meaning it’s a UK pattern. If a pattern says “3 dc” for the same clusters, it’s a US pattern.

A Final Word on Modern Patterns

Many contemporary independent designers — particularly those selling patterns internationally on digital platforms — are beginning to include both sets of terminology in their patterns, or at the very least to clearly state which system they’re using. This is an enormously helpful development, and it’s worth supporting those designers and leaving reviews that mention how well their patterns are written.

If you’re writing your own patterns to share or sell, including a clear note at the top — “This pattern is written in UK crochet terms” or “This pattern uses US crochet terminology” — is one of the most considerate things you can do for your readers. Some designers go a step further and include a full conversion chart within the pattern itself.

The more the crochet community communicates clearly about these conventions, the easier it becomes for everyone to access and enjoy the enormous wealth of patterns available worldwide. Whether you learned to crochet from a British grandmother or an American YouTube tutorial, understanding both systems opens up an entire world of design — and that’s one of the real joys of being a crocheter today.