How to Read a Crochet Pattern: A Beginner's Cheat Sheet

Open any crochet pattern for the first time and it can look like a secret code: ch 2, sc 6 in ring, inc 6 (12), sc around, dec x6 (6), fasten off. If that sentence means nothing to you yet, this guide will change that in about five minutes.

Every crochet pattern, no matter how complicated it looks, is built from the same handful of building blocks. Once you know what each one means, you can read almost any beginner or intermediate pattern with confidence.

Why Patterns Use Abbreviations

Patterns are written in shorthand to save space and make them faster to follow once you know the code. Writing single crochet instead of sc fifty times in a row would make a pattern nearly impossible to scan while you are working. The abbreviations are consistent across almost every English-language crochet pattern, so once you learn them, you can read written patterns from any designer (patterns drawn as symbols work differently, and our guide on how to read crochet charts covers those).

The Core Abbreviations Every Beginner Needs

• ch - chain. The foundation stitch that starts most projects.
• sl st - slip stitch. A low, flat stitch usually used to join rounds or move across a row without adding height.
• sc - single crochet. The most common amigurumi stitch, short and tight.
• hdc - half double crochet. A medium-height stitch, taller than single crochet.
• dc - double crochet. A taller stitch used for looser, drapier fabric.
• inc - increase. Work two stitches into the same spot to add width.
• dec - decrease. Combine two stitches into one to reduce width.
• st(s) - stitch(es).
• rnd - round. One full loop around a piece worked in the round, common in amigurumi.
• rep - repeat.
• sk - skip.
• MR - magic ring, the adjustable loop used to start most amigurumi pieces.

Met an abbreviation that is not on this list? Look it up in our free crochet abbreviations chart, with US and UK terms side by side.

Understanding Stitch Counts in Parentheses

You will often see a number in parentheses at the end of a row or round, like this: sc around (12). This tells you how many total stitches you should have once you finish that row. It is one of the most useful parts of a pattern because it lets you check your work as you go, rather than discovering a mistake several rows later.

If your stitch count does not match the number in parentheses, stop and recount. Catching a missed stitch or an accidental increase early is much easier than unraveling several rounds later.

Reading a Repeat Instruction

Patterns often use an asterisk or brackets to show a repeated sequence, such as: *sc 2, inc* repeat around. This means you work everything between the asterisks over and over until you reach the end of the round. It is simply a shorter way of writing out the same instruction multiple times.

What Does "Fasten Off" Mean?

Fasten off means to cut your yarn (leaving a tail long enough to weave in) and pull it through the final loop to secure your stitches so they do not unravel. This is typically the very last instruction in a pattern or at the end of a finished piece before sewing parts together.

A Simple Line-by-Line Example

Take this line: Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic ring (6). Rnd 2: inc around (12). This means round one is six single crochet stitches worked into a magic ring, giving you six stitches total. Round two is an increase in every single stitch around, doubling your count to twelve. This increase pattern is exactly how amigurumi pieces build their rounded shape from the centre outward.

Practice Makes This Automatic

The abbreviations feel unfamiliar for the first project or two, then become second nature. Most crocheters stop consciously translating sc and dc after their first finished piece and simply read patterns fluently from then on.

If reading written patterns still feels like a lot to take in, video tutorials are a great bridge. Watching someone perform each stitch while the pattern terms appear on screen helps the abbreviations click much faster than reading alone.

Browse Yon Crochet video lessons to see these stitches worked in real time, step by step.