How to Read a Crochet Pattern: Your Ultimate Guide to Unlocking Any Design

Welcome, fellow crafter! Have you ever stumbled upon a gorgeous crochet design, only to feel completely lost when you looked at the pattern? You’re not alone. What looks like a secret code to the untrained eye is actually a beautifully logical language designed to guide your hooks and yarn to create stunning pieces. Learning how to read a crochet pattern is a fundamental skill that transforms frustration into pure creative joy. At Crochetto, we’re here to demystify the process and turn you into a pattern-reading pro!

Once you’ve mastered the basic crochet stitches, the world of patterns opens up. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from common abbreviations to tricky symbols, ensuring you can confidently tackle any project.

1. Understanding the Language: Abbreviations and Terms

Crochet patterns use a condensed language of abbreviations and terms. This saves space and makes patterns incredibly efficient to write and read once you know the lingo. Think of it as a shorthand for speed and clarity!

Common Stitch Abbreviations:

These are the foundational building blocks of almost every pattern:

• Ch: Chain
• Sl st: Slip stitch
• Sc: Single crochet
• Hdc: Half double crochet
• Dc: Double crochet
• Tr (or trc): Triple (or treble) crochet

Action Terms: More Than Just Stitches

Beyond stitches, patterns instruct you on actions or manipulations:

• Inc: Increase (Add one or more stitches, often by working multiple stitches into one.)
• Dec: Decrease (Eliminate one or more stitches, often by working two stitches together.)
• Turn: Turn your work (Rotate your piece so you can work back across the previous row.)
• Join: Join two stitches together (Typically done with a slip stitch in the top of the next stitch or initial chain.)
• Rep: Repeat (Perform the indicated steps again.)
• Rem: Remaining (Refers to stitches or chains left in the row/round.)
• Lp: Loop (Refers to a loop on the hook or part of a stitch.)

For a complete and authoritative list of crochet abbreviations and terms, we highly recommend checking the Craft Yarn Council’s standards.

2. Getting Started: The Foundation of Every Project

Every crochet project begins with a slip knot on your hook, followed by a foundation chain. Interestingly, patterns often assume you know how to make a slip knot and won’t explicitly tell you to do it!

The Invisible First Step: The Slip Knot

Before you even begin your chain, you need a slip knot on your hook. This creates the first loop from which all your stitches will grow. If you’re unsure, many online learn to crochet resources offer excellent visual guides for making one.

The Foundation Chain: Your Starting Line

The pattern will specify the length of your foundation chain. This could be written in a few ways:

Both examples mean: make a slip knot, then chain 15 stitches. Always chain loosely to make working into them easier. Remember, the loop on your hook is never counted as a stitch, nor is the slip knot itself part of your stitch count once you begin working into the chain.

Counting and Skipping Chains

When a pattern says “sc in 2nd ch from hook,” it means you will skip the first chain closest to your hook and work your single crochet into the second. Why skip it? Because that skipped chain acts as a turning chain, allowing your first single crochet to sit at the correct height. For single crochet, this skipped chain is essentially ‘gone forever’ and isn’t counted in your stitch total.

After working across your foundation chain, count your stitches carefully. Most patterns will tell you exactly how many stitches you should have at the end of each row. You might see it indicated like this: (14 sc), 14 sc., or —14 sc. This is your crucial checkpoint to ensure you’re on track!

3. Turning Chains: The Invisible Starts (and sometimes stitches)

Once you finish a row, you need to turn your work to begin the next. This requires making a “turning chain” to bring your yarn to the correct height for the stitches of the new row.

Single Crochet Turning Chains (Ch 1)

For single crochet, you typically chain 1 and then turn. This chain 1 does not count as a stitch. It simply creates the necessary height. You’ll then work your first single crochet into the very first stitch of the previous row.

Double Crochet Turning Chains (Ch 3)

For taller stitches like double crochet, the turning chain is taller. For double crochet, you’ll typically chain 3 and turn. And here’s the key difference: for double crochet (and most stitches taller than single crochet), this chain 3 counts as the first double crochet of the row.

In this example, the first 3 chains you skipped (to work into the 4th chain) count as your first double crochet. On the next row, your chain 3 turning chain will count as the first double crochet, and you’ll work your next stitch into the second stitch of the previous row, skipping over what appears to be the first stitch (which is actually the turning chain from the previous row).

4. Decoding Symbols: Parentheses, Asterisks, and Brackets

Crochet patterns often use special symbols to indicate repeats or groups of stitches. Mastering these is key to flowing through a pattern seamlessly.

Asterisks (*) for Repeating Sequences

Asterisks indicate a sequence of steps to be repeated. You’ll often see:

This means you repeat everything *after* the asterisk until you reach the end of the row.

Sometimes, two asterisks define the repeat:

This means repeat everything *between* the two asterisks.

Double Asterisks (**) for Nested Repeats

Occasionally, you’ll encounter a repeat within a repeat, indicated by double asterisks:

Don’t panic! Tackle it step-by-step. First, execute the pattern from the single asterisk `*`. When it tells you to “end last rep at **”, it means stop performing the instructions at that point for the *final* repetition of the sequence.

Brackets [ ] for Specific Repetition Counts

Brackets are used to group a set of instructions that are repeated a specific number of times. The number immediately following the brackets tells you how many times to repeat the sequence.

Here, you will perform “skip next dc, shell in next dc” exactly four times before moving on to the final “ch 1, dc in next 4 dc.”

Parentheses ( ) for Grouping Stitches

Parentheses often indicate a group of stitches that are all worked into the *same* stitch or space. This creates clusters or specific shapes.

This means all four stitches (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) are worked into that single “next dc” to create a shell stitch.

5. Working in Spaces and Rounds

Chain Spaces (Ch Sp)

A “chain space” (often abbreviated as ch sp) is a gap created by a previous chain stitch or series of chain stitches where you skipped other stitches. When a pattern instructs you to “work a shell in next ch sp,” you insert your hook directly into the open space under the chain, not into a specific chain stitch itself. These spaces can be of one or more chains; if they are three or more, they are sometimes called “loops” (lps).

Crocheting in the Round

Many projects, like granny squares or hats, are worked in rounds. This means you are creating a circular or tubular piece.

After making your initial chain, you will insert your hook into the very first chain you made and complete a slip stitch. This connects the ends of your chain to form a closed circle or ring. You will then work your first round of stitches into this ring, often by inserting your hook directly into the center of the ring. Just like in rows, you’ll need to make turning chains to bring your yarn to the correct height for the first stitch of each round.

You can find more detailed information on crochet techniques, including working in the round, from the Craft Yarn Council.

6. Special Terms for Garment Construction

If you’re tackling garments, you’ll encounter specific terms related to shaping and assembly. Understanding project levels and standard body measurements can be incredibly helpful here.

• Right front, right sleeve, right shoulder: These terms refer to the actual body part the finished piece will cover (e.g., the right arm when worn). The same applies to “left front,” etc.
• Right side (RS), wrong side (WS): The “right side” is the side of the fabric that will be visible when the garment is worn. The “wrong side” is the inside. Patterns will instruct you which side should be facing you for specific rows.
• Right-hand or Left-hand Corner: This means the corner of your piece that is nearest your right (or left) hand when you are holding it and preparing to work.
• At the same time: This instruction means you need to perform two different shaping steps concurrently. For example, you might be shaping for an armhole and a neckline in the same row or series of rows.
• Work same as Left (or Right) piece, reversing shaping: This is where patterns can get tricky for beginners! It means you need to create a mirror image of a previously worked piece. If you decreased at the beginning of a row for the left side, you’ll now increase (or decrease) at the *end* of the row for the right side, or vice-versa. A great strategy here is to draw a simple sketch of what you did for the first piece, then reverse it for the second.

7. Essential Pattern Information Beyond Stitches

Before you even begin, always check the introductory information in any pattern. This typically includes:

• Materials: Specific yarn weight (learn more about yarn weights), fiber content, color, and quantity; hook size (see hook standards); and notions like stitch markers, tapestry needle, or buttons. Understanding yarn label information is crucial here.
• Gauge/Tension: This is a small swatch worked in the pattern stitch that tells you how many stitches and rows per inch your work should measure. **Do not skip this!** Matching the gauge ensures your finished project matches the pattern’s intended size.
• Finished Measurements: The dimensions of the completed item.
• Notes: Any special instructions, techniques, or definitions unique to that pattern.
• Special Stitches: How to execute any unique or complex stitches used in the pattern that aren’t standard abbreviations.
• Care Instructions: Often represented by standard care symbols.
• Schematics: For garments or complex shapes, a diagram showing the shape and measurements of the pieces (learn more about schematics).

Start Your Crochet Journey With Confidence!

Learning how to read a crochet pattern might seem daunting at first, but with practice, patience, and this guide, you’ll be deciphering designs like a seasoned pro in no time. Take it one line at a time, refer back to your abbreviation list, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes – they’re part of the learning process!

At Crochetto, we believe everyone can enjoy the magic of crochet. Now that you have the tools, dive into that pattern you’ve been eyeing! Share your progress with us on social media – we can’t wait to see what you create.

Special thanks to Jean Leinhauser, a leading designer and author, for her invaluable contributions to understanding crochet patterns, and to Leisure Arts for permission to reproduce their helpful diagrams.