Abbreviations
Crochet Abbreviations
They are short and sweet but what do they all mean? Crochet patterns use abbreviations, to make the pattern easier to read, but if you don't know what the abbreviation means it can be very confusing.
At the beginning of a crochet pattern there is usually a list of the stitches used in the pattern and their abbreviations.
Here is a list of the standard crochet abbreviations and their definition.
Click on the links below for quick 1 minute step-by-step stitch tutorials.
A-H
A
ALT alternate
APPROX approximately
B
BB back bump
BEG begin or beginning
BET between
BL/BLO back loop only
BO bobble
BP back post
BPDC back post double crochet
BPDTR back post double treble crochet
BPHDC back post half double crochet
BPTR back post treble crochet
C
CA colour A
CB colour B
CC contrasting colour
CH chain stitch
CH- chain previously made
CH-SP chain space
CL cluster
CONT continue
D
DC double crochet
DC DEC double crochet decrease
DC INC double crochet increase
DC2TOG double crochet 2 stitches together
DC3TOG double crochet 3 stitches together
DCBLO double crochet back loop only
DCFLO double crochet front loop only
DEC decrease
DTR double treble crochet
E
EDC extended double crochet
EHDC extended half double crochet
ESC extended single crochet
ETR extended treble crochet
F
FDC foundation double crochet
FHDC foundation half double crochet
FL/ FLO front loop only
FO finished object
FOLL following
FP front post
FPDC front post double crochet
FPDTR front post double treble crochet
FPHDC front post half double crochet
FPSC front post single crochet
FPTR front post treble crochet
FSC foundation single crochet
FTR foundation treble/triple crochet
H
HDC DEC half double crochet decrease
HDC INC half double crochet increase (hdc inc or 2hdc)
HDC2TOG half double crochet 2 stitches together
HDC3TOG half double crochet 3 stitches together
HDCBLO half double crochet back loop only
HDCFLO half double crochet front loop only
HDC SL ST half double crochet slip stitch
HHDC herringbone half double crochet
HK hook
I-Z
I
INC increase
L
LP loop
M
M marker
MC main colour
MR magic ring
P
PAT pattern
PC popcorn stitch
PM place marker
PREV previous
PS/PUFF puff stitch
R
REM remaining
REP repeat
REV reverse
RND(S) round(s)
RS right side
S
SC DEC single crochet decrease
SC INC/2SC single crochet increase
SC2TOG single crochet 2 stitches together
SC3TOG single crochet 3 stitches together
SCBLO single crochet back loop only
SCFLO single crochet front loop only
SC X-ST single crochet cross stitch
SH shell stitch
SK skip stitch
SL ST/ SS slip stitch
SM stitch marker
SP space
ST stitch
T
TBL through back loop
TCH turning chain
TOG together
TR treble or triple crochet
TR DEC treble crochet decrease
TR INC treble crochet increase
TR2TOG treble crochet 2 stitches together
TR3TOG treble crochet 3 stitches together
TRBLO treble crochet back loop only
TRFLO treble crochet front loop only
TRTR trible treble crochet
W
WIP work in progress
WS wrong side
Y
YO yarn over
YU yarn under