This is our growing list of crochet abbreviations and special stitches that are used in our patterns. Any linked stitch in this list will take you to a page of patterns that utilize that stitch so this page is an on-going resource that will continue to be updated with new stitches and new links to patterns. We hope you find this list useful!
Crochet Abbreviations
BL – back loop(s)
BP – back post
BPdc – back post double crochet
BPsc – back post single crochet
BPtr – back post treble crochet
CC1 – contrast color 1
CC2 – contrast color 2
ch – chain
dc – double crochet
dc2tog – double crochet 2 stitches together
dcflo: Double crochet in front loop only of designated st
dec – decrease/decreases/decreasing
dtr – double treble
ext tr – extended treble crochet
ext dtr – extended double treble crochet
FL – front loops
FP – front post
FPdc – front post double crochet
FPdbtr – front post double treble
FPsc – front post single crochet
Fpslst –front post slip stitch
FPtr – front post treble crochet
Fsc – foundation single crochet
hdc – half double crochet
htr– half treble crochet
inc – increase/increases/increasing
Lp – loop
MC – main color
Place Stitch Marker (PM):Insert stitch marker into indicated st or sp.
rd(s) – round
rep – repeat
RS – right side
sc – single crochet
sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
sc3tog – single crochet 3 together
sc dec – single crochet decrease
scflo: Single crochet in front loop of designated st
sk – skip
sl st – slip stitch
sp – space
st – stitch
tbl – through back loop
tch or t-ch – turning chain
tr – treble crochet
trtr – triple treble crochet
tr2tog – treble crochet 2 together
tr3tog – treble crochet 3 together
WS – wrong side
yo – yarn over
[ ] or ( ) – work instructions within brackets as many times as directed
*– repeat the instructions following the single asterisk as directed
* * – repeat instructions between asterisks as many times as directed or repeat from a given set of instructions
Special Stitches
2 Double Crochet Cluster Stitch (CL):(Yo, insert hook in indicated st or sp, yo, pull up a lp, yo, pull through 2 lps on hook) twice, yo, pull through all loops on hook.
3 Double Crochet Cluster Stitch:[Yo, insert hook in indicated st, yo and pull up lp, yo, draw yarn through 2 lps on hook] 3 times (4 lps on hook), yo, draw through all 4 lps on hook.
3 Treble Crochet Cluster (Cl3): Yo twice, insert hook into next st, [yo, pull back through st, (yo, pull through 2 lps) twice, yo twice, insert hook into same st] twice, yo, pull back through st, (yo, pull through 2 lps) twice, yo, pull through all 4 lps on hook.
4 Back Post Treble Decrease (4-bptr dec):Holding back last loop of each stitch on hook, bptr around each of next 4 stitches, yo, pull through all loops on hook.
4 Double Crochet Cluster:[Yo, insert hook in indicated st, yo and pull up lp, yo, draw yarn through 2 lps on hook] 4 times (5 lps on hook), yo, draw through all 5 lps on hook.
4 Treble Crochet Cluster (Cl4): Yo twice, insert hook into next st, [yo, pull back through st, (yo, pull through 2 lps) twice, yo twice, insert hook into same st] 3 times, yo, pull back through st, (yo, pull through 2 lps) twice, yo, pull through all 5 lps on hook.
4 Double Crochet Shell V-Stitch (Sh):(2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in indicated place.
5 Double Crochet Cluster (5 dc CL): (YO, insert hook into st, YO, draw up a loop, YO, pull through 2 loops on hook) 5 times all in the same st, YO, pull through all 6 loops on hook.
5 Double Crochet Shell (5-dc sh): 5 dc worked into one st.
5 Treble Cluster (5 tr CL): [YO twice, insert hook into st, YO, draw up a loop, (YO, pull through 2 loops on hook) twice] 5 times, YO, pull through all 6 loops on hook.
5 Treble Fan (5trf): 5 tr worked into one st
6 Double Crochet Fan Stitch (Fan):(3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc) in indicated place.
8 Back Post Treble Decrease (8-bptr dec): *Holding back last loop of each stitch on hook, bptr around each of next 4 stitches*, skip sc between shells and working on next shell, repeat between * once, yo, pull through all loops on hook.
Back Loop Single Crochet (blsc): Insert hook into the next st (but only in the back loop). YO, pull back through that st (2 loops on hook), YO, pull through all 2 loops on hook.
Back Loop Stitch (blst): Insert hook into the next st. Create a 4”10cm loop at the back of your work, YO, pull back through that st (2 loops on hook), YO, pull through all 2 loops on hook.
Back Post Treble Crochet: Yo twice, working on side of project on the back of working row, insert hook around post from back to front and then to back again, yo, pull up a lp, (yo, pull through 2 lps on hook) 3 times.
Back Post Treble Crochet 2 Together (BPtr2tog): Yo twice, insert hook from back to front to back again around the post of first indicated st, yo, draw up a lp, (yo, draw through 2 lps) twice (2 lps remain on hook), yo twice, insert hook from back to front to back again around post of next indicated st, yo, draw up a lp, (yo, draw through 2 lps) twice (3 lps on hook), yo, draw though all 3 lps.
Beginning 2 Double Crochet Cluster (beg 2 dc cl): Ch 3, holding back last loop of each stitch on hook, dc in same place as beginning ch 3, yo, pull through all loops on hook.
Beginning 3 Double Crochet Cluster (beg 3 dc cl): Ch 3, holding back last loop of each stitch on hook, 2 dcs in same place as beginning ch 3, yo, pull through all loops on hook.
Beginning Double Crochet Cluster(beg dc cl):Ch 2, (yo, insert hook in same st, yo, pull through st, yo, pull through 2 lps on hook) 3 times, yo, pull through all 4 lps on hook.
Beginning Half Shell (beg-shell):Ch 3, 3 dc in indicated st
Beginning Increase Lopsided Shell Stitch(BegShl): (ch 5, 2 tr) in indicated st or sp
Beginning Increase V-stitch(BegIncV): (ch 5, tr) in indicated st or sp
Beginning Treble Crochet Cluster (beg trcl): Ch 4, [yo twice, insert hook in next st, (yo, pass through 2 lps on hook) twice] twice, yo, pull through all 3 lps on hook.
Beginning V-Stitch (beg V-st):Ch 6, dc in same st or sp as ch-6.
Berry Stitch (Berry St): Yo, insert hook in next st, *yo, pull back through st, yo, pull through first lp on hook, yo**, insert hook into same st; rep from * to ** once, pull through all 5 lps on hook, ch 1.
Capped Puff Stitch (c-puff):[yo, insert hook in indicated st, yo, pull up loop] 5 times in indicated st/sp(11 loops on hook), yo, pull through 10 loops on hook, yo, pull through 2 loops on hook.
Crab Stitch (crab st):*Insert hook in next st to the right, yo, pull up a lp, yo, draw through both lps on hook; rep from * in each sc around, sl st in first st to join.
Crocodile Stitch: Working over next 2 stitches, 4 dc down next post, ch 1, 4 dc up next post
Crossed Double Crochet (cdc): Skip 1 st, dc in next st, dc in previous skipped st.
Crossed Stitch Left Slant (CL): Sk next 2 sts, tr in next 2 sts, working behind 2 tr just made, work tr in each sk st
Crossed Stitch Right Slant (CR): Sk 2 sts, tr in next 2 sts, working in front of 2 tr just made, work tr in each sk st.
Crossed Stitches Pair (CP): Work 8 sts in pattern, always working CL over CR and CR over CL.
Deep slip stitch (dslst): Slip stitch in round below the working round.
Double Crochet Cluster (dc cl):(Yo, insert hook in same st, yo, pull through st, yo, pull through 2 lps on hook) twice, yo, pull through all 3 lps on hook.
Double Crochet 2 Together (dc2tog): Yo, insert hook into stitch indicated, pull up a loop, yo, draw through 2 loops (first leg made), yo, insert hook into next stitch indicated, draw up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops (second leg made), yo, pull through all 3 loops on hook.
Double Crochet 3 Stitches Together Bobble (dc3tog-bo):[Yo, insert hook in st, yo and draw up lp, yo and pull through 2 lps] 3 times (4 lps on hook), yo and pull through all lps on hook.
Double Crochet with Top Join (Dc-j): Yo, insert hook where indicated first, yo, draw up lp, yo, draw through 2 lps on hook, insert hook where indicated 2nd, yo, draw through work and all lps on hook.
Double Treble 2 Stitches Together (decrease 1 stitch) (dtr2tog):*Yo 3 times, insert hook in next st, yo and draw up a loop, (yo and draw through 2 loops) 3 times. Repeat from * once. Yo and draw through 3 loops on hook.
Double Treble Treble (dbl tr tr): Wrap yarn around hook 5 times, (yo, pull through 2 lps) 6 times
Double V-stitch: (dc, ch 1, dc, ch 1, dc) in stitch indicated.
Edge Picot (e-pt): Ch 5, sl st in 4th ch from hook.
Ending Half Shell (end-shell):4 dc in indicated st.
Extended Half Double Crochet:Yo, insert hook into st, yo, pull up a lp, pull through the first lp on hook, yo, pull through all 3 lps on hook.
Extended Single Crochet(Esc): Insert hook in designated st, yo, pull up loop, yo, draw through 1 loops on hook, yo, pull through 2 loops.
Fan Stitch: 5 dc in stitch indicated.
Flower Stitch (Flower St): [(Berry St, ch 2, sl st, ch 2) 4 times, Berry St] in next st.
Foundation Double Crochet (fdc):Beginning with a slip knot, ch 4 (counts as first ch and first dc). YO, insert hook in 4th ch from hook, *YO and draw up a loop (3 loops on hook), YO and draw through one loop on hook (creates the base chain), [YO and draw through 2 loops on hook] twice(creates the dc)*. For the following stitches, YO, insert hook in the ch at the base of the previous st, under 2 strands (leaving the 2 strands at the chain edge), repeat from * to * for length as directed.
Foundation Half Double Crochet (Fhdc):*Ch 3, yo, insert hook in first ch, yo, pull up a lp (3 lps on hook), yo, pull through first lp on hook to create the first ch st (optional: pinch this stitch between the thumb and forefinger of your non-hook hand to hold it open and make it easier to work into; it is the space below the first and 2nd lps on the hook), yo, pull through all 3 lps on the hook to complete the first foundation hdc st, yo, insert hook into the ch st you were pinching to begin the second foundation hdc; rep from * to complete the required number of hdc.
Front Loop Single Crochet (flsc): Insert hook into the next st (but only in the front loop). YO, pull back through that st (2 loops on hook), YO, pull through all 2 loops on hook.
Front Loop Stitch (flst): Create a 4”/10cm loop at the front of your work. Insert hook into the next st. YO, pull back through that st (2 loops on hook), YO, pull through all 2 loops on hook.
Front Post Bullion (fpb): (Yo, wrap hook around post of tr in previous row) 6 times, yo, pull through all lps on hook, ch-1 to secure).
Front Post Double Crochet (FPdc): Yo, insert hook under the post of next st, yo, draw up a lp (3 lps on hook), yo, draw through 2 lps on hook (2 lps on hook), yo, draw through last 2 lps on hook.
Front Post Double Treble Crochet (FPdtr):Yo 3 times, insert hook under the post of next st, yo, draw up a lp (5 lps on hook), yo, draw through 2 lps on hook (4 lps on hook), yo, draw through 2 lps on hook (3 lps on hook), yo, draw through 2 lps on hook (2 lps on hook), yo, draw through last 2 lps on hook.
Front Post Treble Crochet: Yo twice, working on side of project facing, insert hook around post from front to back and then to front again, yo, pull up a lp, (yo, pull through 2 lps on hook) 3 times.
Front Post Treble Crochet 2 Together (FPtr2tog): Yo twice, insert hook from front to back to front again around the post of first indicated st, yo, draw up a lp, (yo, draw through 2 lps) twice (2 loops remain on hook), yo twice, insert hook from front to back to front again around post of next indicated st, yo, draw up a lp, (yo, draw through 2 lps) twice (3 lps on hook), yo, draw though all 3 lps.
Front Post Triple Treble Crochet (fpttr): Yo hook 4 times, insert hook from front around the indicated st, yo, pull up a loop, (yo, draw through 2 loops on hook) 5 times.
Half Double Crochet (hdc): *Yo, insert hook in st, yo, pull up lp, yo, pull through all 3 lps on hook; rep from * for indicated number of foundation sts.
Half Double Crochet 2 Together (hdc2tog): *Yo, insert hook in st, yo, pull up lp, yo, insert hook in next st, yo, pull up lp, yo, pull up lp through all lps on hook; rep from * for indicated number of foundation sts.
Herringbone Half Double Crochet (hbhdc): *Wrap yarn over hook, place hook in stitch, yarn over hook and pull through stitch and first loop on hook, as though to slip stitch*, yarn over hook again and pull through 2 loops on hook.
Increase V-stitch (IncV):(dc, ch 2, tr) in indicated st or sp
Lacey Shell (lace-shell):(Tr, ch 1) 4 times in indicated st, tr in same st.
Large Picot (Lp):(sl st, ch 3, sl st, ch 5, slst, ch 3, sl st).
Large Shell (lg shell):(4 trs, ch 1, 4 trs) in place indicated.
Large Split Treble Fan (lstrf):(3 tr, ch 2, 3 tr) in next st.
Linked Treble Crochet (ltr):Insert hook into horizontal lp in middle front of stitch just made, yo and pull up a lp, insert hook in next horizontal lp on front of same st, yo and pull up a lp, insert hook in next st of round, yo, pull up a lp, (yo, pull through 2 lps on hook) 3 times.
Loop Picot (Lp-pt): Ch 11, sl st in front lp and front diagonal leg of last sc worked.
Lopsided Shell Stitch(Shl): (dc, ch 2, 2 tr) in indicated st or sp
Mosaic Front Post Double Crochet (M-FPdc):Yo, insert hook from front to back around st indicated 3 rows below, yo, pull up a long lp, yo, pull through 2 lps, yo, pull through last 2 lps; sk the st behind the FPdc since it replaces that sc.
Petal Puff Stitch (pp):(sc, ch 3, tr3tog, ch 3, sc) in next st.
Picot:(sc, ch 3, sc) in space indicated.
Picot Single Crochet (psc):Insert hook, yo, draw loop through, (yo, draw through 1 loop) 3 times, yo, draw through both loops on hook. Draw picot chain loops to front of work.
Popcorn Stitch (Pc): Work 5 dc in the next st, drop lp from hook, insert hook (from front to back) in first dc of group, pick up dropped lp with hook, pull it through the st, ch 1.
Puff Stitch (puff st):[Yo, insert hook in indicated st, yo again and draw a lp through] 5 times, yo and draw through all 11 lps on hook, ch 1.
Quadruple Treble (quad tr):Yo hook 4 times, insert into specified st or sp, (yo, draw through 2 lps on hook) 5 times
Raised Treble Crochet at Front of the Fabric 2 Together(tr/rf2tog): (YO) twice, insert hook in indicated st, yo, draw loop through, yo, draw through 2 loops, (yo) twice, insert hook around stem of indicated st, yo, draw loop through, yo, draw through 2 loops, yo, draw through rem loops.
Raised Treble Crochet at Front of the Fabric (tr/rf):–(YO) twice, insert hook from in front and from right to left around the stem of stitch indicated and complete the treble stitch normally.
Shell (shell):9 dc in indicated st.
Side Puff Stitch: Work ch-3, 4 treble crochets together into top of last dc made, ch-1 to secure.
Single Crochet (sc):Insert hook in indicated st, yo, pull up a loop, yo, draw through both loops on hook.
Single Crochet Join (sc join):Place a slip knot on hook, insert hook in indicated st, yo, pull up a lp, yo, draw through both lps on hook.
Small Picot (sp):(sl st, ch-5, sl st).
Small Shell (sm shell):4 trs in place indicated.
Small Split Treble Fan (sstrf):(2 tr, ch 1, 2 tr) in next st
Special Single Crochet 2 Together (sp-sc2tog):Insert hook in last st worked, yo, pull up a lp (2 lps on hook), insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a lp (3 lps on hook), yo and draw through all 3 lps on hook. This variation of the classic sc2tog will allow you to keep the same number of sts in the row/round.
Split Treble with Join (Spt-tr-j): Yo twice, insert hook where indicated first, yo, draw up lp, yo draw through 2 lps on hook, insert hook where indicated 2nd, yo, draw through work and first 2 lps on hook, yo, draw through last lps on hook. Top half of spt-tr-j counts as 1 dc.
Standing Treble Crochet (standing tr):Make slip knot in end of yarn leaving at least 4” tail, place lp on hook, yo twice, holding lps secure on hook shaft insert in indicated st or sp, yo, pull up a lp, (yo, pull through 2 lps) 3 times.
Starting Treble Crochet (starting tr):With 1 lp on hook, insert hook into first st, yo, pull up a lp, yo, draw through 2 lps, (insert hook from front to back and into center of st just made, yo, pull up a lp, yo, draw through 2 lps) 2 times.
Tilted Shell Stitch (Tilted Sh):(sc, ch 3, dc, tr) in indicated place.
Treble Bobble: Yarn over 2 times, push hook through next stitch, yarn over, pull back through, yarn over, pull through first 2 loops on hook 2 times. *Keeping the remaining loops on hook, yarn over 2 times, push hook through SAME stitch, yarn over and pull back through, yarn over, pull through first 2 loops on hook 2 times; repeat from * 3 more times. Yarn over, pull through all loops on hook to complete.
Treble Cluster Stitch (TrCL):(Yo twice, insert hook in indicated st or sp, yo, pull up a lp, [yo, pull through 2 lps] twice) twice, yo, pull through all lps on hook.
Treble With Top Join (TR-j): Yo twice, insert hook where indicated first, yo, draw up lp, (yo, draw through 2 lps on hook) twice, insert hook where indicated 2nd, yo, draw through all lps on hook.
Triple Crochet 2 Stitches Together Bobble (tr2tog-bo):[Yo 2 times, insert hook in st, yo and draw up lp, {yo and pull through 2 lps} 2 times] 2 times (3 lps on hook), yo and pull through all lps on hook.
Triple Crochet V-Stitch (tr V-st):(Tr, ch 3, tr) worked in specified sp.
Triple Treble (trtr):Yo hook 3 times, insert into specified st or sp, (yo, draw through 2 lps on hook) 4 times.
Tunisian Double Crochet (Tdc):Yo, insert hook in st, yo and draw up lp, yo and pull through 2 lps, leave remaining lp on hook.
V-Stitch:(dc, ch 3, dc) all in indicated st or sp.
Wide Double Crochet 2 Together (wdc2tog):Worked over 3 sts; yo, insert hook in indicated st, yo, pull up a lp, yo and draw through 2 lps on hook (2 lps on hook), sk next sc, yo, insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a lp, yo and draw through 2 lps on hook (3 lps on hook), yo and draw through all lps on hook.
Wide Double Crochet 3 Together (wdc3tog):Worked over 5 sts; yo, insert hook in same st as last st made, yo, pull up a lp, yo and draw through 2 lps on hook (2 lps on hook), sk next sc, yo, insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a lp, yo and draw through 2 lps on hook (3 lps on hook), sk next sc, yo, insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a lp, yo and draw through 2 lps on hook (4 lps on hook), yo and draw through all lps on hook.
Wide Treble Fan (wtrf):(tr, ch 1, tr, ch 1, tr) in next sp or st.
X-Stitch (x-st): Dc in nxt st leaving the last 2 loops on hook, sk 2 sts, treble in nxt st, 2 ch, treble in same place as 1stdc going behind the 1sttreble and leaving last 2 loops on hook, dc in same place as 1sttreble.
