The Yarn StudioGUIDE · CROCHET TERMS
US vs UK crochet terms: a translation guide
Same stitch, different name — and sometimes the same name for two completely different stitches. Here's how to read any crochet pattern without ripping half of it back.
The one rule to remember
UK terms are shifted one stitch taller than US terms. A US single crochet is a UK double crochet. A US double crochet is a UK treble. Every crochet stitch above slip stitch is off by one.
Conversion chart
| US term | US abbr. | UK term | UK abbr. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slip stitch | sl st | Slip stitch | sl st |
| Single crochet | sc | Double crochet | dc |
| Half double crochet | hdc | Half treble crochet | htr |
| Double crochet | dc | Treble crochet | tr |
| Treble crochet | tr | Double treble | dtr |
| Double treble | dtr | Triple treble | trtr |
| Yarn over | yo | Yarn over hook | yoh |
| Gauge | — | Tension | — |
| Skip | sk | Miss | — |
How to tell which terms a pattern uses
Five-second test — scan the abbreviations for these tells:
- Says "sc" or "single crochet" → US terms. Single crochet doesn't exist in UK terminology.
- Says "htr" (half treble) → UK terms. The US version is "hdc".
- Tallest common stitch is "dc" → US. If "dc" is the shortest stitch and "tr" is mid-height → UK.
- Uses "tension" for gauge, "miss" for skip, or metric-first measurements → strong UK signal.
- Designer or magazine is British, Australian, or South African → assume UK unless the pattern says otherwise.
If a pattern doesn't say and you can't tell, work a small swatch of the first row in both terms and compare against the pattern's photo. The wrong terminology will look completely different.
Stitches, side by side
Chain
ch
Same name and same stitch in both US and UK.
The starting row of most crochet fabric. Yarn over, pull through the loop on the hook. Repeat.
Single crochet
sc
UK: Double crochet (dc)
The shortest working stitch. Insert hook, yarn over, pull up a loop (2 loops on hook), yarn over, pull through both. Dense, sturdy fabric — good for amigurumi and bags.
Watch out: "dc" in a UK pattern means this stitch, not the tall one Americans call "dc".
Half double crochet
hdc
UK: Half treble crochet (htr)
One step taller than single/UK double. Yarn over first, insert hook, yarn over and pull up a loop (3 on hook), yarn over and pull through all three. Slightly softer drape than single crochet.
Double crochet
dc
UK: Treble crochet (tr)
The classic tall stitch. Yarn over, insert hook, yarn over and pull up a loop (3 on hook), yarn over and pull through 2, yarn over and pull through the last 2. Open, drapey fabric — the workhorse of blankets and garments.
Hook size conversion
Hook sizes in millimetres are universal — a 4 mm hook is 4 mm anywhere. The letter/number labels differ, though:
| Metric | US | UK (old) |
|---|---|---|
| 2.25 mm | B/1 | 13 |
| 2.75 mm | C/2 | 12 |
| 3.25 mm | D/3 | 10 |
| 3.5 mm | E/4 | 9 |
| 3.75 mm | F/5 | 9 |
| 4.0 mm | G/6 | 8 |
| 4.5 mm | 7 | 7 |
| 5.0 mm | H/8 | 6 |
| 5.5 mm | I/9 | 5 |
| 6.0 mm | J/10 | 4 |
| 6.5 mm | K/10.5 | 3 |
| 8.0 mm | L/11 | 0 |
| 9.0 mm | M/13 | 00 |
| 10.0 mm | N/15 | 000 |
Modern UK patterns usually give the metric size directly, so the old UK numbering only matters for vintage patterns.
FAQ
Is US double crochet the same as UK double crochet?
No — they're completely different stitches. US double crochet is a tall stitch with three loops on the hook; UK double crochet is the short, dense stitch Americans call single crochet.
How do I know if a pattern is written in US or UK terms?
Look for "single crochet" or "sc" — those only exist in US terminology. If the shortest working stitch in the pattern is called "double crochet", or a mid-height stitch is called "treble", it's UK.
Do the hooks and yarn weights differ too?
Hook sizes are the same in millimetres, but the letter/number labels differ (see the table above). Yarn weights use the same Craft Yarn Council numbers globally, but the naming varies — see our yarn weight guide for the full mapping.
Can I convert a UK pattern to US on the fly?
Yes — the shift is consistent. Read every UK stitch as one step shorter in US terms: UK dc → US sc, UK htr → US hdc, UK tr → US dc, UK dtr → US tr. Chain and slip stitch stay the same.
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