Common Crochet Abbreviations (Free Printable)
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A listing of the common abbreviations used in most crochet patterns. Download the Printable Chart for Free!
When you are just beginning to learn how to crochet, do you feel like you have to learn a new language, also? Well … you kind of do have to learn a bunch of new terms and shorthand.
So, to help you out, here is a list of commonly used crochet abbreviations that you can download and print below.
This is by no means a complete list and I will be adding more abbreviations as I find them. Also, please note that these refer to crochet terms used in the USA, not UK which are a bit different.
This list is in alphabetical order and as you will see, some of the shortcuts are combinations of two different abbreviations. For instance, ‘dcbp‘ is a combo of dc – Double Crochet and bp – Back Post.
Some crochet designers also seem to have their own terms so make sure and read through the entire pattern as well as any notes before you begin to crochet. This can save you a lot of headaches later on.
> > This is my favorite beginner crochet book for learning new stitches
Why are there so many abbreviations in crochet?
The simple answer is to make it quicker and easier to write out your crochet patterns. Some names for stitches and techniques can be a little wordy so if you can use a shorthand term instead, it saves a lot of time.
For instance, the term ‘Back Post Half Double Crochet‘ would get a little annoying if you had to write it over and over again, right?
Instead, you can write ‘bphdc‘ and all crocheters know exactly what you are talking about. Saves time and paper.
Plus, it’s not like there are thousands of different abbreviations to memorize. All in all, there are probably a hundred or so which isn’t too bad.
And, you don’t have to sit down and learn them all at once. You can just look up a term as you need it for that particular crochet pattern.
Note: Most patterns will have a listing of the stitches and techniques used.
This is usually found near the beginning of the pattern close to the supplies and gauge needed.
List of common crochet abbreviations
This list refers to abbreviations commonly used in the USA. The UK terms are somewhat different.
As I stated above, this is not an exhaustive list and I will continue to update it as I come across other terms. So, if you download this chart, make sure and check back for updates.
| beg – | Beginning |
| bet – | Between |
| bl – | Back Loop |
| blo – | Back Loop Only |
| bo – | Bobble |
| bp – | Back Post |
| bpdc – | Back Post Double Crochet |
| bphdc – | Back Post Half Double Crochet |
| bpsc – | Back Post Single Crochet |
| bptr – | Back Post Triple (Treble) Crochet |
| cc – | Contrasting Color |
| ch – | Chain |
| cl – | Cluster |
| dc – | Double Crochet |
| dc2tog – | Double Crochet Two Together |
| dcbp – | Double Crochet Back Post |
| dcfp – | Double Crochet Front Post |
| dec – | Decrease |
| dnt – | Do Not Turn |
| dtr – | Double Triple (Treble) Crochet |
| fdc – | Foundation Double Crochet |
| fhdc – | Foundation Half Double Crochet |
| fl – | Front Loop |
| flo – | Front Loop Only |
| FO – | Finish Off |
| fp – | Front Post |
| fpdc – | Front Post Double Crochet |
| fphdc – | Front Post Half Double Crochet |
| fpsc – | Front Post Single Crochet |
| fptr – | Front Post Triple (Treble) Crochet |
| hdc – | Half Double Crochet |
| hdc2tog – | Half Double Crochet Two Together |
| htc – | Half Triple (Treble) Crochet |
| inc – | Increase |
| lp – | Loop |
| mc – | Main Color |
| mr – | Magic Ring |
| pm – | Place Marker |
| rem – | Remaining |
| rep – | Repeat |
| rnd – | Round |
| rs – | Right Side |
| sc – | Single Crochet |
| sc2tog – | Single Crochet Two Together |
| sc3tog – | Single Crochet Three Together |
| sk – | Skip |
| sl st – | Slip Stitch |
| sp – | Space |
| st – | Stitch |
| sts – | Stitches |
| tch – | Turning Chain |
| tog – | Together |
| tr – | Triple (Treble) Crochet |
| trtr – | Triple Triple (Treble Treble) |
| ws – | Wrong Side |
| yo – | Yarn Over |
| * – | Repeat from asterisk (*) |
How to print this list
If you wish you print a copy of this list of abbreviations, simply download this PDF to your computer. You will then be able to print a hard copy.
Make sure and bookmark this page so you can check back to see if there are any updates.
Note: You can also right-click the image below and save it however, the quality will not be as good as the PDF.
Related Articles:
Related Articles
- How to Crochet a Chain
- How to work a Single Crochet
- Working the Half Double Stitch
- How to Double Crochet
Common Crochet Abbreviations (Free Printable)
