Reading patterns
US vs UK Crochet Terms: A Conversion Chart You Can Actually Use
US and UK crochet patterns use the same names for different stitches, shifted one step. A US single crochet (sc) is a UK double crochet (dc), a US half double crochet is a UK half treble (htr), and a US double crochet is a UK treble (tr). Chain and slip stitch are the same in both.
By the Knit&Note team
You follow a pattern carefully, stitch by stitch, and the result comes out taller and looser than the photo. Very often the reason is not your tension. The pattern was written in UK terms and you read it in US terms, or the other way round.
American and British crochet use the same words for different stitches. The good news is that the difference is consistent, so once you see the logic, converting takes seconds.
Why the names are different
Both systems name stitches by counting, but they count different things. A common way to see it: US names count how many times you yarn over and pull through two loops to finish the stitch. UK names count the loops on your hook right after you pull up the first loop.
Take the shortest basic stitch. You insert the hook, pull up a loop and have two loops on the hook, then pull through both once. The US calls that a single crochet. The UK calls it a double crochet. The same shift runs up the whole family, so every UK name is one step 'taller' than the US name for the same stitch. Chain and slip stitch do not change.
US to UK conversion chart
US chain (ch) = UK chain (ch)
US slip stitch (sl st) = UK slip stitch (ss or sl st)
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)
US double treble crochet (dtr) = UK triple treble crochet (trtr)
US single crochet two together (sc2tog) = UK double crochet two together (dc2tog)
US double crochet two together (dc2tog) = UK treble two together (tr2tog)
A few words that are not stitches still trip people up:
US skip = UK miss
US gauge = UK tension
US yarn over (yo) = UK yarn over hook (yoh) or yarn round hook (yrh)
US fasten off = UK fasten off
Yarn weight names differ too, though only roughly. US fingering is close to UK 4 ply, US DK or light worsted is close to UK DK, US worsted is close to UK aran, and US bulky is close to UK chunky. When in doubt, compare the length per 100 g and the recommended hook on the label.
How to tell which terms a pattern uses
Many patterns say it at the top, 'written in US terms'. When they do not, look for clues.
Search for sc or single crochet. It only exists in US terms. If you find it, the pattern is US.
Look for htr. Half treble is a UK name. A pattern that uses it is UK.
Check the language. Tension, miss and yarn round hook point to UK. Gauge and skip point to US.
Check where it comes from. US and Canadian designers usually write US terms. UK, Irish, Australian and New Zealand designers usually write UK terms. Patterns translated into English from other languages can go either way, so read the notes.
Look at the photo. If the fabric is short and dense and the pattern says dc throughout, it is probably UK double crochet, which is a US single crochet.
Converting a pattern without losing your place
If you only crochet in one system, it helps to convert the pattern once before you start, rather than translating in your head row after row.
Go through it once with a pen, or in your notes, and write the term you know above each stitch name.
Convert in the right order. dc exists in both systems with different meanings, so order matters. Going from UK to US, start with the shortest stitch (dc to sc) and work upward. Going from US to UK, start with the tallest stitch and work down. That way you never convert the same stitch twice.
Leave everything else alone. Hook size, yarn, gauge and measurements stay exactly as written. Only the stitch names change.
In the Knit&Note app
In the Knit&Note app you can tap an abbreviation in the pattern to see what the term means, which is the quickest cure for the dc question. Notes stay with your project, so if you write 'UK terms, dc means my sc', it is right there next time you open it, next to a row counter that keeps your count.
FAQ
Is UK double crochet the same as US single crochet?
Yes. It is the same stitch with a different name: insert the hook, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through both loops.
Is a US double crochet a UK treble?
Yes. US dc and UK tr are the same stitch. A US treble (tr) is a UK double treble (dtr).
Does Australia use US or UK crochet terms?
Australia and New Zealand generally use UK terms, but always check the pattern notes, since designers everywhere sometimes write for a US audience.
What happens if I use the wrong terms?
Every stitch comes out one step taller or shorter than intended. The piece ends up bigger or smaller, looser or denser, and uses a different amount of yarn. A bag might survive it. A garment will not fit.
