Crochet Stitches Chart: US & UK Names, Symbols and Heights

Crochet stitches are built from the same few movements, and each basic stitch is a little taller than the one before. This chart puts them side by side with their US and UK names, so you can follow a pattern written in either style. Every pattern on All About Crochet uses US terms.

Basic crochet stitches chart

How each stitch is made

From double crochet up, each extra yarn over at the start adds one more yo, pull through 2 loops at the end — and roughly one chain of height. Half double crochet sits between single and double crochet: it has one yarn over like a double crochet, but finishes all 3 loops at once. That is why turning chains go ch 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

Why the UK names are one step taller

The two systems count different things. US names count how many times you yarn over and pull through two loops to finish the stitch: once for a single crochet, twice for a double crochet, three times for a treble.

UK names start from the loops on your hook after you pull up the first loop: two loops for a UK double crochet, three for a UK treble. The half treble also has three loops but finishes them all at once, which is where the "half" comes from. Past treble the counting stops lining up so neatly, so just remember that each UK name is one step taller than the US name for the same stitch.

Turning chains and stitch height

Each row starts with a turning chain that lifts your hook to the height of the stitches in that row. Whether the chain counts as a stitch depends on the pattern. As a general rule, the ch 1 for single crochet almost never counts, the ch 2 for half double crochet usually does not, and the ch 3 for double crochet often does — so always read the pattern notes. For practice, see how to count crochet stitches.

Reading stitch symbols

Crochet charts use the same basic symbols in US and UK patterns, which makes a chart a handy way around the naming problem. Two more shapes appear in most charts:

• Two symbols sharing one base — an increase: two stitches worked into the same stitch.
• Two symbols meeting at the top — a decrease: two stitches worked together.

Charts worked in rounds start in the center, often with a magic ring, and are read round by round outward. Charts worked in rows start at the bottom and follow the row numbers back and forth. The guide to reading crochet patterns covers the written instructions that go with a chart.

Which stitch should you use?

• Single crochet is short, dense and firm — ideal for amigurumi like the mini crochet bee, bags and dishcloths.
• Half double crochet is a medium height with a little drape — good for hats, ear warmers and the classic crochet scarf.
• Double crochet is tall and grows quickly — the stitch behind granny squares, blankets and the double crochet bookmark.
• Treble crochet and taller make open, lacy fabric for shawls and airy borders.

Keep a copy nearby

Print this page from your browser and keep it with your hooks, or bookmark it for quick lookups while you follow a pattern. To translate a whole pattern at once, use the converter below.