If you’re new to crocheting patterns may appear to be a foreign language. “Sc2tog, sc to last 3 st, bpdc,” says the author. What do you mean? The first step in decoding all those strange lines (and beginning your first project!) is to figure out what each abbreviation stands for.
It’s important to note that not all patterns are the same. While basic stitches (single crochet, double crochet, etc.) have the same abbreviations across the board, other stitches may have different abbreviations depending on the designer.
You’ll find that as your crochet skills improve, you won’t need to refer to a list as much. Until then, this guide will teach you the fundamentals.
Some Common Abbreviations
beg – beginning
bpdc – back post double crochet
ch – chain stitch
ch sp – chain space
cont – continue
dc – double crochet
dec – decrease
dtr – double treble crochet
fpdc – front post double crochet
fpsc – front post single crochet
fptr – front post treble crochet
hdc – half double crochet
inc – increase
lp – loop
mc – main color
pm – place marker
rem – remaining
rep – repeat
rs – right side
rsc – reverse single crochet
sc – single crochet
sc2tog – single crochet two stitches together
sc3tog – single crochet three stitches together
sk – skip
sl – slip
sl st – slip stitch
st – stitch
t-ch – turning chain
tbl – through the back loop
tr – treble crochet
ws – wrong side
yrh – yarn round hook
Symbols
In some crochet patterns, symbols like parentheses and brackets are utilised. This instructs you to repeat the instructions included within the bracket.
“(Sk 2 sc, sc in next 3 sts) 4 times,” for example, might be written on a line in your pattern. This means skipping two single crochet stitches and then single crocheting the next three stitches. Before moving on to the next section of the pattern, repeat this four times.
Useful Abbreviations:
Patterns frequently have their own unique acronyms. You could crochet a sweater using a unique bobble stitch, for example. This abbreviation will be indicated at the beginning of the pattern (near the gauge information) and explicit instructions for producing the stitch will be provided. You simply refer back to the stitch instructions at the beginning of the pattern when you come across that abbreviation. Easy!