Crochet Symbols and Directions chart with US & UK terminology.
Crochet Symbols and Directions Chart – As you all know by now, I’ve been really getting into crochet over the past year or so. I still consider myself a newbie and I’m trying to learn new stitches and designs whenever I can find the time. To this point I’ve only followed written directions and whenever I’ve come across patterns with all those weird symbols I’ve immediately discarded the crochet pattern without even attempting to understand it.
Recently I came across a YouTube video that showed a woman crocheting but she also showed how she followed the crochet symbol pattern – even though it was in a different language, I totally got the drift and realized that these patterns aren’t as scary as they seem.
Crochet stitch charts are also great when you find a crochet pattern in another language that comes with a stitch chart – sometimes that’s all you need to figure out how to make the pattern, even with the language barrier.
After doing a little more research I realized that I couldn’t find any really great symbol reference charts. I started pulling a collection together from what I could find and before you I knew it I had created a pretty comprehensive crochet symbols and directions chart.
I also tried to address the issue of US vs. UK crochet terminology by putting the correct name for each symbol with a little flag beside to indicate what that symbol is called depending on whether its a US or UK pattern. I hope you’ll find this crochet symbols and direction chart helpful. Now maybe you’ll decide to given patterns written in symbols a second chance, I know I will.
I’ve also included a list of the crochet terms and abbreviations – the most common crochet terms and their associated abbreviations. Crochet abbreviations are usually listed at the top of a pattern to help explain the stitches and terms that will be used in that particular crochet pattern.
Download your crochet symbols and directions chart here.
If anyone notices any errors in this chart please let me know, I may have missed something. Thanks.
To make things even easier for you, here’s a great YouTube video that explains how to read symbol charts.
Crochet symbols and directions chart with US and UK crochet terminology
Sangeetha
February 13, 2014 at 2:21 AM (7 years ago)Wonderful! Thank you so much. 😀 Have a nice day.
Cathy
February 13, 2014 at 4:38 AM (7 years ago)Thanks for putting this together. This will definitely make it easier to use some of my patterns that are written in UK crochet terms.
Inna
February 13, 2014 at 8:41 AM (7 years ago)Thank you!
Tamika
February 14, 2014 at 10:14 AM (7 years ago)Thank you for posting this! I’m sharing the link with my crochet group members since this is one of the topics we will be discussing this year. I love your site. Plan to explore some more. Thanks again.
Lisa
February 14, 2014 at 2:23 PM (7 years ago)Thanks so much for sharing! I sometimes end up “re-writing” written patterns into my own symbols
to follow as I crochet. Now I can use the correct symbols. Is there a site that has patterns by symbols? I see them on the complicated projects, but it would be nice to have a source for easy to intermediate ones. Hope you are having a nice Valentines 🙂
Yvette
February 15, 2014 at 7:11 PM (7 years ago)Jamey, This is one of the best charts on the net! Love the layout and the inclusion of both terms. Here in Australia we have to be crochet term bi-lingual as we get patterns from everywhere as well. I did notice some small typos though. They happen when using text box copying, I know, I do it all the time lol. Your second English Double Crochet (pink) is English Half Treble (htr), your English Half Treble (purple) is English Treble (tr). Your English htr2tog (purple) is tr2tog and following that the htr2tog in blue should read tr3tog to match the dc3tog US. The English Front post and Back post tr’s need their bracketed code changed from dc to tr also. I hope you do not take offense at this comment. You have put so much work into this chart. It is fantastic and I would really like to share it with my crochet community, with your permission of course. Wishing you a lovely day from rainy Sydney Australia 🙂
Jamey
February 16, 2014 at 1:09 PM (7 years ago)Hi Yvette,
Thanks for your lovely and tactful comments. I really appreciate it when people help to make my work better and you did it beautifully! I’ve made all the edits now so everything should be perfect. Thanks so much and feel free to share with your crochet community and anyone else you think would benefit from this chart. Have a wonderful day – from cloudy Victoria, BC.
~ Jamey
Marilyn
June 12, 2015 at 9:12 AM (6 years ago)I am doing the same, passing by the symbols and anything that looks difficult .. Thank you for giving me the push I needed.
From very dry northern Alberta
Marilyn
Molly
February 17, 2014 at 8:53 AM (7 years ago)Great chart!! Thank you very much.
Amelia
February 18, 2014 at 2:13 AM (7 years ago)Thank you for taking the time to compile this and then share it with everyone. I am used to English terms, but there are so many US patterns I want to try – this chart is going to help so much!
Loretta
February 18, 2014 at 8:14 AM (7 years ago)What a fantastic chart! Definitely one to keep in a sheet protector or I may laminate it so it stays nice! Thanks for such a great job!
Collee n
February 20, 2014 at 5:36 AM (7 years ago)Great chart but I believe the last column the 3rd and 4th symnols are increaes? And not decreases as indicated.
Carmen
February 22, 2014 at 11:00 AM (7 years ago)Thank you!
Bec
February 23, 2014 at 3:38 AM (7 years ago)This is brilliant! I’ve never really used the symbol patterns but often swap between UK & US books which I find confusing – will definitely be printing and laminating this one!
Nancy
February 26, 2014 at 8:06 AM (7 years ago)Awesome. thanks for sharing!
PJ
February 26, 2014 at 11:48 AM (7 years ago)Thank you for this!!
JoanN
March 2, 2014 at 7:42 AM (7 years ago)Thank you so much for posting this!
Lyn
March 12, 2014 at 6:44 PM (7 years ago)Beautiful layout, and I am so thankful you are taking the mystery out of the charts, as I have looked at them in wonder, without having a clue how to read them! Many thanks for your time and work that went into this!
Rachel
March 13, 2014 at 9:22 AM (7 years ago)Wow, this is fantastic! A must for my project basket. I would love to link to this in my next Crochet Roundup if you didn’t mind.
Barbra
March 26, 2014 at 3:56 PM (7 years ago)Thank you, thank you, thank you. I have been looking for something like this. Your eforts are appreciated.
Aminta
April 1, 2014 at 2:17 PM (7 years ago)Thank you so much!!
Lit
April 1, 2014 at 6:44 PM (7 years ago)Thank you so much for taking time to do this – and for sharing FREELY with all of us…you are awesome!
miriam perez
April 1, 2014 at 7:49 PM (7 years ago)Hi, Thank you for this info, very interesting and great to have.;-).
azadeh
April 4, 2014 at 10:35 AM (7 years ago)thank you for your info 🙂
Betty
May 5, 2014 at 7:56 PM (7 years ago)Thank you so much. This is great. Now to translate a motif 3 Japanese flower to make a scarf. I believe this will definitely help. Happy trails for doing this.
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Vickie
May 6, 2014 at 9:18 AM (7 years ago)Thank you for posting this very nicely laid out chart. It conveys a lot of useful information in a very compact format. I am a technical writer, so I can really recognize and appreciate a well thought out user experience such as the one you have put together here 🙂
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Brenda
May 6, 2014 at 9:37 AM (7 years ago)What an awesome chart! Thanks so much for creating it. Very helpful tool for crochet addicts to have on hand. 😀
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Judi
June 24, 2014 at 11:24 AM (7 years ago)Thanks so much Jamey! I was just thinking last night (as I nervously began my first “advanced” pattern) how just such a chart would be helpful.
Appreciate your work and sharing! 😉
Kokopelli Design
June 29, 2014 at 9:08 AM (7 years ago)This chart is great! Thanks for sharing!
Kelley
October 28, 2014 at 9:12 PM (6 years ago)Thank you so much. I can tell this is going to save a lot of confusion!
Lana
November 20, 2014 at 6:20 PM (6 years ago)Thank you for this! As a newbie, this will come in handy. 🙂
nicola
April 22, 2015 at 10:26 AM (6 years ago)Wow thanks so much! Looks a great chart!
Kathy magner
April 22, 2015 at 7:11 PM (6 years ago)Thank you so much!! As a fellow newbie, this will be so helpful!!!
Helen
May 5, 2015 at 4:57 AM (6 years ago)Thank you so much for your hard work, it will be so helpful !
Holly P
May 10, 2015 at 3:58 PM (6 years ago)Super helpful! Thank you!
Dottie Jean
August 2, 2015 at 5:21 AM (6 years ago)Thank you for posting the “Crochet Symbols & Directions Chart”. I’m fairly new to Crocheting and not that familiar with all the Symbols and Terms. This will be extremely helpful. If not for people like you posting videos & Charts,I would have never been able to learn how to Crochet.
Kimber
August 8, 2015 at 6:41 AM (6 years ago)greetings from Dallas, Texas, USA
Another grateful “hooker” here. Your careful work is appreciated very much; you have a generous spirit!
Just look how widespread we all are!
Isn’t it lovely how we are sharing the same interests?
The world really isn’t that big.
Feeling all mushy and creative,
Kimber
Suzanne Pratt
September 17, 2015 at 1:15 PM (6 years ago)How professonal and attractive this chart is. You can tel lthat you put a lot of work in ite and its beyond generous for you to share this freely. Thank you so much.
Catherine
September 29, 2015 at 4:29 AM (6 years ago)Thanks so much. Mikey from The Crochet Crowd keeps saying we should learn how to do this. It always seemed so hard, I couldn’t wrap my brain around it…this chart makes it way less scary, lol. Thank you!
Janine
January 20, 2016 at 11:40 AM (5 years ago)This is fantastic. Thank you very much 🙂
simone
January 25, 2016 at 1:32 PM (5 years ago)Thanks 🙂 this is the best and easiest chart to read.
Anonymous
February 15, 2016 at 3:41 PM (5 years ago)On your chart you have a section of “crochet abbreviations and terms” and one of the abbreviations listed is
“Tr Tr = treble treble crochet”. I believe this should read “TRIPLE treble crochet.
Patti
February 18, 2016 at 10:04 AM (5 years ago)You are the ANGEL of the crochet world. I’ve wanted to try the chart crochet but so very scared and confused. As soon as I get done with current project, going to print and laminate your chart.
again THANK YOU SO Very much.
Patti
Rosemary Bell
April 22, 2016 at 12:11 AM (5 years ago)Good article, but the most important part is blurred when I zoom in. Do others find the same on a mobile phone, and if so is it better on a larger device, ie tablet or laptop.
Sarah
May 19, 2016 at 2:49 PM (5 years ago)Wow! The chart is AWESOME!!!
Thank you for your hard work and for being willing to share it.
Sarah
Linda
August 5, 2016 at 2:13 PM (5 years ago)Thank you for signing me on.
KathrynMacDonald
February 9, 2017 at 5:40 AM (4 years ago)I have a question…..in the third column, the third and fourth stitches look like increases not decreases….am I not reading the visual cues correctly?
Pamela
March 14, 2017 at 7:30 AM (4 years ago)I’ve noticed that the charts are being used more, but sometimes they are confusing. This will be a great help. I’ve used the UK terms enough that I am okay there, but this chart is simple to use and convienent. Thank you so much for your time and efforts.
Teresa Beaudette
March 17, 2017 at 12:18 PM (4 years ago)I just found your wonderful chart. When crocheting, I learn better with a visual aid such as a diagram and often make my when using a new pattern. This chart is exactly what I need. BTW, what font did you use for the symbols? Thanks!
vi
December 29, 2017 at 7:21 PM (3 years ago)Really nice!! Thank you..i wonder if could I use it to make a spanish version…
~Lee~
April 5, 2018 at 1:22 PM (3 years ago)This is so helpful — I’m trying to crochet a dragon bookmark and have to learn the abbreviations at the same time! I might even be willing to print this in color. 🙂
Paula C.
June 24, 2020 at 11:57 PM (10 months ago)Your work is BEAUTIFUL! Thank you for taking the time to do such a beautiful chart!