How to Understand Crochet Pattern Codes and a Printable List of Crochet Stitch Abbreviations

Does a Crochet Pattern Overwhelm You?

Your pattern will not often explain how to do the basic stitches, this can be confusing to someone new to crocheting. It will provide you with abbreviations for most stitches instead. 

I am doing my best to provide a page for each of the abbreviations with a video tutorial. You will find links to each title listed below. 

Also here is a printable list of crochet abbreviations with written instructions of how to do each stitch from another crochet site. You can print it out for future reference.
 
Your pattern will often explain how to combine the stitches to make certain designs in your project. 

For example, I am doing a shell afghan that alternates V-Stitches and Shell stitches within each row. The pattern provides the abbreviations for the stitches needed for each...for example, for a "shell", it requires, in crochet terms - "5 tr in next st" which means "5 triple crochet stitches in one chain stitch". They abbreviate "V-Stitch" as "V-st" and the term for making the V-st as "tr, ch 1, tr" which means "triple crochet, chain 1, triple crochet".
 
At first glance a pattern can look confusing, but before you know it, especially if you start out with a pattern graded "easy", and use the tools and tutorials provided through the pages listed below, you'll be crocheting with no trouble at all. 

If there is a stitch not shown, please ask in a comment and I'll try to help you and add it.

Here are links to the tutorials: 


Jump to the other Tutorial pages in this series below:

How to Crochet - Free Stitch Instructions and Abbreviations

How to Understand Crochet Pattern Codes and a Printable List of Abbreviations

Buying the Right Crochet Hook and Free Metric, US and UK Conversion Charts

How to Crochet a Slip Knot (sl knot) Stitch and Starting Chain (ch)

How to Crochet a Single (sc) Double (dc) Triple or Treble (tr or tc) Stitch

How to Crochet a SLIP STITCH (sl st or ss)

How to Crochet Single (sc dec) and Double Decrease (dc dec) and (sc inc) (dc inc) Increase Stitches

How to do the DOUBLE CROCHET DECREASE (dc dec)

How to Fasten Off - Hide Crochet Ends - Change Yarn Colors

How to Crochet in Front (fl) and Back Loop (bl)

How to Crochet Back Post (bp) and Front Post (bp)

Basketweave Crochet Stitch using Front Post Double Crochet (fpdc) and Back Post Double Crochet (bpdc)

How to Crochet a Cluster Stitch (cl)

How to Crochet a POPCORN Stitch (pc)

How to Crochet a PICOT Stitch (p)

How to Crochet a LOOP Stitch (lp(s))

How to Crochet a BULLION aka RICE aka ROLL Stitch

How to do a CROSSED DOUBLE CROCHET (cr dc) or Double Crochet Crossed

How to Crochet a PUFF Stitch (ps OR puff st)

Updated 11/30/18