Comparison
US vs UK crochet terms: what is the difference?
US and UK crochet terms give the same stitch names to different stitch heights. The US single crochet is the UK double crochet, the US half double crochet is the UK half treble, and the US double crochet is the UK treble. Following a pattern in the wrong system makes every stitch one height off.
By the crochetpatterns.io editorial team · Reviewed · Editorial policy
| Stitch height | US term (abbreviation) | UK term (abbreviation) |
|---|---|---|
| Shortest joining stitch | slip stitch (sl st) | slip stitch (ss) |
| Foundation loop | chain (ch) | chain (ch) |
| Short | single crochet (sc) | double crochet (dc) |
| Medium-short | half double crochet (hdc) | half treble (htr) |
| Medium | double crochet (dc) | treble (tr) |
| Tall | treble crochet (tr) | double treble (dtr) |
| Extra tall | double treble (dtr) | triple treble (trtr) |
| Pattern instruction | skip | miss |
| Stitch measurement | gauge | tension |
Which crochet terms should you learn first?
Learn the terms used by the patterns you plan to follow. Most online patterns and video tutorials from North America use US terms, while patterns from the UK, Ireland and Australia often use UK terms.
How do you know which terms a pattern uses?
A pattern uses US terms if it mentions single crochet, because UK terminology has no single crochet. A pattern mentioning half treble or miss uses UK terms.
What happens if you use the wrong crochet terms?
Using the wrong crochet terms makes every stitch one height too tall or too short. A UK pattern worked in US terms comes out taller, looser and larger than the designer intended.
Frequently asked questions
What is UK dc in US terms?
UK double crochet (dc) is US single crochet (sc).
Do crochet charts use US or UK terms?
Crochet symbol charts use symbols that are the same in both systems.
Can this site show patterns in UK terms?
Yes. Pattern and stitch pages offer a US or UK terminology switch that rewrites stitch names.