The Great Divide: US vs UK Crochet Terms
Did you know that depending on where a pattern designer lives, the names of the stitches change? The physical stitches are exactly the same, but the terms used to describe them differ between the United States and the United Kingdom/Australia.
This is one of the most common pitfalls for beginners! If a pattern seems to be working up twice as tall as it should, you are probably reading a UK pattern using US terms.
The Conversion Chart
Here is how the basic stitches translate. The general rule is that UK terms are exactly one step “taller” than US terms.
- Slip Stitch (sl st): Same in both US and UK!
- Chain (ch): Same in both US and UK!
- US Single Crochet (sc) = UK Double Crochet (dc)
- US Half Double Crochet (hdc) = UK Half Treble Crochet (htr)
- US Double Crochet (dc) = UK Treble Crochet (tr)
- US Treble Crochet (tr) = UK Double Treble Crochet (dtr)
How to Tell Which Terms a Pattern Uses
Most modern designers will explicitly state “Written in US Terms” at the top of their pattern. However, if they don’t, there is an easy trick to figure it out:
Look for the term “Single Crochet” (sc). The single crochet stitch does not exist in UK terminology! If you see “sc” anywhere in the pattern, you can be 100% certain it is written in US terms.