US vs UK crochet terms
The same words mean different stitches. A US double crochet and a UK double crochet are not the same thing — and both get shortened to “dc”, so a pattern can look perfectly sensible while producing entirely the wrong fabric.
If a pattern doesn’t say which it uses, look for single crochet. It exists only in US terms. If you see it, the pattern is American.
Read across: the US name on the left is the same physical stitch as the UK name on the right.
| US abbr. | US name | UK abbr. | UK name |
|---|---|---|---|
| beg | Beginning | beg | Beginning |
| beg bobble | Beginning 3-dc Bobble | beg bobble | Beginning Bobble |
| beg bobble | Beginning 5-dc Bobble | beg bobble | Beginning Bobble |
| beg pc | Beginning Popcorn | beg pc | Beginning Popcorn |
| beg-dc2tog | Beginning Cluster (ch 3 + 1 dc together) | beg-tr2tog | Beginning Cluster (ch 3 + 1 tr together) |
| beg-dc3tog | Beginning Cluster (ch 3 + 2 dc together) | beg-tr3tog | Beginning Cluster (ch 3 + 2 tr together) |
| beg-dc5tog | Beginning Cluster (ch 3 + 4 dc together) | beg-tr5tog | Beginning Cluster (ch 3 + 4 tr together) |
| beg-tr2tog | Beginning Cluster (ch 4 + 1 tr together) | beg-dtr2tog | Beginning Cluster (ch 4 + 1 dtr together) |
| BLO | Back Loop Only | BLO | Back Loop Only |
| bobble | 3-dc Bobble | bobble | Bobble Stitch |
| bobble | 5-dc Bobble | bobble | Bobble Stitch |
| BPdc | Back Post Double Crochet | BPtr | Back Post Treble Crochet |
| BPhdc | Back Post Half Double Crochet | BPhtr | Back Post Half Treble Crochet |
| BPtr | Back Post Treble Crochet | BPdtr | Back Post Double Treble Crochet |
| bull | Bullion Stitch | bull | Bullion Stitch |
| ch | Chain | ch | Chain |
| ch-sp | Chain Space | ch-sp | Chain Space |
| dc | Double Crochet | tr | Treble Crochet |
| dc-inc | dc Increase | tr-inc | tr Increase |
| dc2tog | Double Crochet 2 Together | tr2tog | Treble Crochet 2 Together |
| dc3tog | Double Crochet 3 Together | tr3tog | Treble Crochet 3 Together |
| dc5tog | Double Crochet 5 Together | tr5tog | Treble 5 Together |
| dtr | Double Treble Crochet | trtr | Triple Treble Crochet |
| fasten off | Fasten Off | fasten off | Fasten Off |
| FLO | Front Loop Only | FLO | Front Loop Only |
| FPdc | Front Post Double Crochet | FPtr | Front Post Treble Crochet |
| FPhdc | Front Post Half Double Crochet | FPhtr | Front Post Half Treble Crochet |
| FPtr | Front Post Treble Crochet | FPdtr | Front Post Double Treble Crochet |
| hdc | Half Double Crochet | htr | Half Treble Crochet |
| hdc-inc | hdc Increase | htr-inc | htr Increase |
| hdc2tog | Half Double Crochet 2 Together | htr2tog | Half Treble Crochet 2 Together |
| inc | Increase (2 sts in one st) | inc | Increase |
| join | Join with Slip Stitch | join | Join with Slip Stitch |
| ldc | Linked Double Crochet | ldtr | Linked Treble |
| loop st | Loop Stitch | loop st | Loop Stitch |
| ltr | Linked Treble Crochet | ldtr | Linked Double Treble |
| magic ring | Magic Ring / Adjustable Loop | magic ring | Magic Ring |
| pc | Popcorn Stitch | pc | Popcorn Stitch |
| picot | Picot | picot | Picot |
| puff | 3-hdc Puff | puff | Puff Stitch |
| rep | Repeat | rep | Repeat |
| rev sc | Reverse Single Crochet (Crab Stitch) | rev dc | Reverse Double Crochet |
| rnd | Round | rnd | Round |
| sc | Single Crochet | dc | Double Crochet |
| sc-inc | sc Increase | dc-inc | dc Increase |
| sc2tog | Single Crochet 2 Together | dc2tog | Double Crochet 2 Together |
| sc3tog | Single Crochet 3 Together | dc3tog | Double Crochet 3 Together |
| shell | Shell | shell | Shell |
| sk | Skip | miss | Miss |
| sl st | Slip Stitch | ss | Slip Stitch |
| slip knot | Slip Knot | slip knot | Slip Knot |
| sp | Space | sp | Space |
| spike st | Spike Stitch | spike st | Spike Stitch |
| st | Stitch | st | Stitch |
| star st | Star Stitch | star st | Star Stitch |
| surface sl st | Surface Slip Stitch | surface ss | Surface Slip Stitch |
| t-ch1 | Turning Chain (1) | t-ch1 | Turning Chain (1) |
| t-ch2 | Turning Chain (2) | t-ch2 | Turning Chain (2) |
| t-ch3 | Turning Chain (3) | t-ch3 | Turning Chain (3) |
| t-ch4 | Turning Chain (4) | t-ch4 | Turning Chain (4) |
| t-ch5 | Turning Chain (5) | t-ch5 | Turning Chain (5) |
| t-ch6 | Turning Chain (6) | t-ch6 | Turning Chain (6) |
| third loop | Third Loop (Camel Stitch) | third loop | Third Loop |
| tr | Treble Crochet | dtr | Double Treble Crochet |
| tr-inc | tr Increase | dtr-inc | dtr Increase |
| tr2tog | Treble Crochet 2 Together | dtr2tog | Double Treble 2 Together |
| trtr | Triple Treble Crochet | quadtr | Quadruple Treble Crochet |
| yo | Yarn Over | yoh | Yarn Over Hook |
The quick version
For the basic stitches, UK terms are all “one taller” than US ones. US single becomes UK double, US double becomes UK treble, and so on up the ladder. The hook and the yarn don’t change — only the name does.
Why the two systems disagree
US names follow the yarn overs you make before you work the stitch — none for a single, one for a double, two for a treble.
UK names follow the loops left on your hook after you pull up your first loop — two for a UK double, three for a UK treble. They are counting two different moments in the same stitch, which is the whole reason the names never lined up.
Half double crochet is the one that catches people. You yarn over once, exactly like a double crochet, but then pull through all three loops at once instead of two. It really is half a double crochet — which is precisely what it is called.
Tired of a notebook and four apps?
This chart lives inside Crochet Bobble, along with the rest of the toolbox: what yarn you already own, which row you were on, how much a blanket will take — in one app that works when the signal doesn’t.
Crochet Bobble opens Winter 2026 — waitlist members get 2 months free at launch, then the founder price of $7.99/mo for as long as you stay.
You’re on the list — thank you! Look for a note from hello@crochetbobble.com.
That didn’t go through. Please try again, or email hello@crochetbobble.com.
Want to help build it? Apply to be a beta tester →