US vs UK crochet terms
US and UK crochet patterns use the same stitches with different names. The UK name is always one step "taller": a US single crochet is a UK double crochet, a US double crochet is a UK treble, and a US treble is a UK double treble. The chain and slip stitch are the same in both.
| US pattern | UK pattern | German pattern | See it in 3D |
|---|---|---|---|
| chain (ch) | chain (ch) | Luftmasche (Lm) | 3D |
| slip stitch (sl st) | slip stitch (ss) | Kettmasche (Km) | 3D |
| single crochet (sc) | double crochet (dc) | feste Masche (fM) | 3D |
| half double crochet (hdc) | half treble (htr) | halbes Stäbchen (hStb) | 3D |
| double crochet (dc) | treble (tr) | Stäbchen (Stb) | 3D |
| treble crochet (tr) | double treble (dtr) | Doppelstäbchen (DStb) | 3D |
| double treble (dtr) | triple treble (trtr) | Dreifachstäbchen | – |
| skip | miss | übergehen | – |
| gauge | tension | Maschenprobe | – |
| yarn over (yo) | yarn over hook (yoh) | Umschlag (U) | – |
| fasten off | fasten off | Faden abschneiden und durchziehen | – |
Why the names differ
The two systems count differently. The US names a stitch by how many times you pull through two loops at the end: the single crochet finishes with one pull through two loops, the double crochet with two. The UK names a stitch by the number of loops on the hook after you pull up the first loop: two loops for the UK double crochet, which is the stitch the US calls single.
The one that catches everyone
"Double crochet" means two different stitches. In a US pattern it is the tall stitch with a bar across the middle. In a UK pattern it is the short, dense stitch Americans call single crochet. If a UK pattern's photo shows a dense fabric and the instructions say dc, work US single crochet.
Quick check: if the pattern uses the words single crochet anywhere, it is in US terms. If it uses half treble or tells you to miss a stitch, it is in UK terms.
Other words that change
The stitch names are the big difference, but a few other words change too. US patterns say skip a stitch, UK patterns say miss. US gauge is UK tension. A US yarn over (yo) is a UK yarn round hook (yrh). The decrease a US pattern calls sc2tog is dc2tog in a UK pattern, and a US front post double crochet (FPdc) becomes a UK front post treble (FPtr).
Yarn weights have their own names as well. US worsted sits close to UK aran, and UK double knitting (DK) is a lighter yarn that US patterns often call light worsted. When in doubt, compare the weight category number on the label rather than the name.
Charts need no translation
Crochet charts use the same symbols in US and UK patterns, and in German and Japanese ones too. An oval is a chain, a filled dot a slip stitch, a cross or plus sign a US single crochet, and a T with one bar across its stem a US double crochet. If a pattern comes with a chart, it settles any doubt about which stitch the text means. Each stitch page here shows its chart symbol on the stitch label next to the US, UK and German names.
This site writes every instruction in US terms, then lists the UK and German name for each stitch, so you can follow a pattern in any of the three and check it against the 3D model.
Converting a pattern line by line
Here is a UK row and the same row in US terms:
UK: Row 2: 3 ch, miss first st, 1 tr in each st to end, turn.US: Row 2: ch 3, skip first st, dc in each st across, turn.
Convert the whole pattern before you pick up the hook. Print it and write the US name in pencil above every UK abbreviation, because switching systems halfway through a row is where most mistakes happen. Keep the stitch counts exactly as printed; they do not change between systems.
Hook sizes need care too. Always go by the millimeter size. Older UK patterns may give hook sizes as numbers from a pre-metric system in which a larger number means a smaller hook, so look up the millimeter equivalent before you start.
Questions
- Is UK double crochet the same as US single crochet?
- Yes. The UK double crochet (dc) is the US single crochet (sc). Every UK stitch name is one step taller than the US name for the same stitch.
- How can I tell if a pattern uses US or UK terms?
- Look for stitch names that only exist on one side: "single crochet" means US terms, "half treble" or "miss" means UK terms. Many patterns say which they use near the top.
- What about German patterns?
- German patterns use their own names, which do not clash with either: feste Masche is the US single crochet, Stäbchen is the US double crochet.
- Do Australian patterns use US or UK terms?
- Most Australian and New Zealand patterns use UK terms, as do many patterns from Ireland and South Africa. Check the stitch names near the top of the pattern before you start, because designers everywhere sometimes switch.