How to Read Crochet Patterns

sample crochet pattern

How to Read Crochet Patterns

When I first started crocheting, I had no idea how to read a pattern. A friend taught me how to make a basic top-down hat, and from there, I just made up my own hat patterns. It wasn't until years later that I actually learned how to read a crochet pattern. 

The first time you see a pattern, you will think you are reading a different language, because you are. Welcome to the language of crochet, where everything is an acroynm or abbreviation! 

Crochet patterns use abbreviations to make the patterns easy to read, but if you are new to crocheting, it can be difficult to understand. I will teach you how to read a crochet pattern. 

There are tons of free crochet patterns available online, so once you know how to read a pattern, the possibilities of what you can make are endless, so let's get started.


BEFORE YOU START

Crochet patterns are all different, but most patterns start with the following basic information:

ABBREVIATIONS

At the beginning of a pattern, look for a list of the stitches used in the pattern and their abbreviations. Make sure to familiarize yourself with this list before you get started. If you come across an abbreviation you are unsure of while reading the pattern, you can always refer back to this list. If the pattern contains stitches you are not familiar with, check out my Crochet Stitches section for quick 1-minute stitch tutorials.

MATERIALS

The pattern will also contain a list of supplies that you will need. This list will include the size of the crochet hook(s) and the yarn recommended for the pattern.

GUAGE

As a new crocheter, don't worry about guage.  I've been crocheting for 25 years, and I still don't pay any attention to guage. If you use the same yarn and crochet hook listed in the pattern, you shouldn't have a big problem with guage. 

For those of you who are interested, it indicates how many rows and how many stitches it takes to make X inches, usually expressed as 2 or 4 inches.  Gauge is calculated by measuring 2 or 4 inches up (rows) and 2 or 4 inches across (stitches) and is written in a pattern as X rows and X stitches = X inches. Guage is important If you are crocheting garments, modifying a pattern, using a different yarn, changing the hook size, or if your tension is really tight or loose.  If these things don't apply, don't worry about guage.  

NOTES

Notes in a crochet pattern are similar to the notes at the beginning of a cooking recipe.  If you are like me, I skip over these notes and scroll straight to the recipe.  The notes in a crochet pattern are important so don't skip over them!  Notes are extra instructions that help set you up for success.  The notes usually tell you important information that is not covered in the body of the pattern.

HOW TO READ A CROCHET PATTERN

Crochet patterns are written in rows. Each row has a sequence of stitches separated by commas. The number of stitches that you should have when you complete the row is listed at the end.  Let's try it out together (this is an example only and not an actual crochet pattern).


ROW 1: Learn about the Numbers 

ch 9 

Row 1: starting in 2nd ch from hook sc, 2sc, sc4, 2sc, sc (10 sts)

In this example, we start by chaining 9. The pattern tells us to start row 1 in the second chain from the hook. This means we are working in 8 chains instead of 9, as follows:

We have completed row 1 and have accounted for all 9 chains that we started with. We have also ended the row with 10 stitches, which matches the total provided.  

NUMBERS:  IMPORTANT POINTS

ROW 2: Learn about Repeating

Row 2: Turn ch2, hdc, *2 hdc, hdc2 * rep to end (13 sts)

A sequence of stitches is often repeated in a row.  In Row 2, the sequence 2hdc and hdc2 is repeated three times. If this were written out in full, it would look like this:

Row 2: Turn ch2, hdc, 2hdc, hdc2, 2hdc, hdc2, 2hdc, hdc2 (13 sts)

Before we start Row 2, we turn and ch2.  We finished Row 1 with 10 stitches, which means we are working in 10 stitches in Row 2 as follows:

We have completed row 2 and have accounted for the 10 stitches we had in row 1. We have also ended the row with 13 stitches, which matches the total provided.  


REPEATING: IMPORTANT POINTS

Repetition in a row can be written in different ways:

These are just a few examples; every pattern is different. You may also see "repeat from" or "repeat between," but no matter how it is expressed, you are repeating a sequence of stitches. If the pattern does not indicate the number of times to repeat a sequence, you can figure it out by looking at the number of stitches you should have at the end of the row.

ROW 3:  Learn about Increasing and Decreasing 

Row 3: Turn ch1, sc2, sc inc, 2sc, sc3tog, sc dec, 2sc, sc inc, sc2   (14)

Before we start Row 3, we turn and ch1.  We finished Row 2 with 13 stitches, which means we are working in 13 stitches in Row 3 as follows:

We have completed row 3 and have accounted for the 13 stitches we had in row 2. We have also ended the row with 14 stitches, which matches the total provided.

  INCREASING AND DECREASING: IMPORTANT POINTS

An increase or decrease in a row can be written in different ways which I will explain using the sc as an example:


You can increase or decrease using any stitch, not just the single crochet.  You can also increase or decrease any number of stitches (2, 3, 4, 5 etc.).