As a crocheter, you may from time to time come across a crochet pattern that has a different set of crochet terms than you are used to seeing. Well, there are two sets of crochet terminology. The two sets are either in American English U.S./Canada crochet terms or British English UK crochet terms.
Converting patterns from US to UK or vice versa is easy. For example, a single crochet in American English terms means a double crochet in British English Terms. This is where it gets confusing because some US & UK terms have the same stitch name but mean different stitches.
You will find that in crochet pattern books this is common to find. Once you understand the difference in UK vs US crochet terms understanding patterns in books will be much easier.
If you happen to come across a pattern with a sc stitch in it then you will know for sure that it is written in US terms because they sc stitch is only found in US term patterns. For more help with this use the crochet term conversion chart & crochet symbol charts below to make US & UK patterns a little easier to understand. I also wanted to mention that all crochet patterns here on Easy Crochet are written in standard US terms.
Most crochet patterns will list if they are written in US terms vs UK terms. If the pattern doesn’t explicitly say what form it is written in you can look over the pattern and determine that for yourself with our crochet abbreviation chart.
Crochet Term Conversion Chart US vs UK
| U.S./Canada | U.K. |
|---|---|
| slip stitch (sl st) | slip stitch (ss) |
| single crochet (sc) | double crochet (dc) |
| half double crochet (hdc) | half treble (htr) |
| double crochet (dc) | treble (tr) |
| treble/triple (tr) | double treble (dtr) |
| double treble/double triple (dtr) | triple treble (trtr) |
| gauge | tension |
| skip (sk) | miss |
| yarn over (yo) | yarn over hook (yoh) |
Crochet Term Symbol Chart US vs UK
| Chart Symbol | US/Canada Terms Abbreviation | UK Terms Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|
 | slip stitch (sl st) | slip stitch (ss) |
 | single crochet (sc) | double crochet (dc) |
 | half double crochet (hdc) | half treble crochet (htr) |
 | double crochet (dc) | treble crochet (tr) |
 | treble/triple crochet (tr) | double treble crochet (dtr) |
The charts above show basic crochet stitch abbreviations from US to UK. There are many more, but I wanted to highlight the most common stitch abbreviations you will see in crochet patterns.
I hope you found this list useful and learned something new about patterns that feature US and UK crochet terms. I listed a few of the most recent crochet patterns and roundups from Easy Crochet if you’d like to take a look and crochet a new design!
Pro Tip! UK crochet patterns tend to use metric crochet hook sizes, whereas US patterns usually use lettered hook sizes. Example: J 6 mm
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Fab Fall Scarf Crochet Pattern
Easy stitch crochet scarf that is fast to work up! Find the free crochet pattern above. Written in standard US Terms.
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I am using a UK pattern. I know that a tr is a dc in the US. But if pattern states chain 4 (this counts as the first tr). Do I chain 3 or 4?
Hi Connie,
I’d follow along with the pattern and chain 4.
-Krista
Before I got to the third paragraph, 3 ads covered the page (not including the one at the bottom of the page that I can’t make go away) and I spent most of my time flicking them away only to have a fourth appear.
I can’t comment on whether your information is helpful, but I’m pretty sure I can find it elsewhere without irritation.
Hi Carol,
I counted four ads in the blog post, and none of them covered the whole page (and should never cover them). If they did, please send over a screenshot, so I can get that sorted out as swiftly as I can. As for the ads that are there, they are how I support my family of five and why my content is free to read online. I understand that they can be annoying, but they are a necessity so that I can continue to provide for my family as well as offer free crochet patterns.
-Krista